Uchiura no Kiseki
by HOPErunsFOREVER
Summary: A high school boy is ready to start his year as a foreign exchange student in Japan- until he realizes which school he's going to- Uranohoshi Girls' High School! Experience excitement, angst, and budding romance in this narrative that takes one to Uchiura, the setting of Love Live: Sunshine!, where many memories are waiting to be made with the girls of Aqours! Season 2 out!
1. 1:Prologue

1:Prologue

 ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****

 **Love Live. Girls. Excitement and adventure. School life. Friendships. Dates. Angst and drama. Love triangles. Flashbacks. Homestays. Forming a band. Wild parties. Hot springs. Camping. Pools. Making dreams come true. Beautifully romantic scenes. Melancholy nostalgia. The pursuit of happiness. The search for understanding. The forces of destiny. If any of this interests you, then read on!~ It's all in here, and more!**

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 **This past year has changed me so much. I've been through thick and thin, hopelessness and hope. But I would never take back the things I did; the people I met. That day, only a year ago, seems a lifetime ago. That first day, when I was so excited and expectant. I didn't know, and could never imagine what I would go through. But regardless, I'll tell you this- every second was worth it. I hope you'll read my story, and relive the journey I've been through. Yes, it was quite a journey. Please, read on.**

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My heart races as I board the plane.

Why me? For the first time in my life, good luck has chanced upon me.

Luck... or is it destiny, perhaps?

I shake my head and laugh, causing the travelers around me to stare. Things like that never happen in real life. I just got real lucky.

So here's the deal: my high school's got this new exchange program to Japan, so naturally it got a lot of hype. I was hyped about it, but I knew that I would never attend the program 'cause, you know, I don't have the cash, unlike all the other pinheads at my school. Although the school planned to give out a full ride scholarship, I didn't think much of it- I never win those nerdy essay competitions. I thought, you know, I'll give it a shot. So I did. I honestly tried my best on it, though. I really did. Long story short, I won the benefits, convinced my parents, and here I am- ready to start my yearlong adventure.

I put my seat belt on tight, after about three flight attendants had to remind me. I was too excited, or nervous to think clearly. I open my backpack and pull out the directions that would take me to my homestay. Hmm... I read the information intently. _Depart on the Narita Express… take the Tokaido Shinkansen… get off at Numazu… bus to Uchiura…_ Uchiura? Isn't that...? My eyes scan the page. SCHOOL: URANOHOSHI GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL. Wait. WHAT? Two words burned fiercely in my mind. LOVE LIVE. Wait. Actually four. LOVE LIVE. GIRLS' SCHOOL. WHAT? By the way, I'm a guy.

MITA KOTO NAI YUME NO KIDOU... OIKAKETE! *OP plays*

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 **Hello everyone! Please read and follow my story! I welcome reviews; tell me how to improve and things that you liked! What do you want to see more of? Who do you ship? Tell your friends about this story, and I hope you enjoy!**


	2. 2: Miracle By the Bay

2: Miracle By the Bay

Before I continue my rant, I would like to introduce myself. The name's Darren. I'm from L.A., and I'm one of those "Asian-Americans" or whatever you call it. I mean, I'm not bilingual or multicultural or anything. I dunno, my ancestors were probably one of those railroad workers or something. Other than that, I'm basically what some would call a "twinkie"- white on the inside, yellow on the outside. Or a banana. Anyway I just speak English, unless you call Spanish 2 "fluent". Oh yeah and Japanese of course; I self-studied that so much. It was the first time I ever wanted to study anything. I think I'm pretty good, though, cause I understand around 75% of what's spoken in anime. I'm starting my junior year now, although I know that school starts in the spring in Japan, meaning that I'll be entering in the middle of the school year. I'm not that smart, really, but I'm not that dumb. I don't know how I won that scholarship… Anyways, I'm gonna stop boring you and get to the spicy and sweet stuff that my whole year was about.

A GIRL'S HIGH SCHOOL? THE LOVE LIVE SUNSHINE HIGH SCHOOL? I broke into a cold sweat then and there, squished between two people in the cramped confines of Economy Class.

"Am I that hot?" the girl next to me questioned. OH MY GOSH. She was not hot at all to be honest, and I've had it up to here with California girls. I never understood that song, like seriously, what's so great about them? Well, praise the Lord that I'm leaving this place behind! I prepare a savage, witty response to the girl but I get cut off as the plane shoots across the runway. My heart beats quickly, and I stare out the window as the city shrinks below me. In a minute, we are over the Pacific. Soon the clouds separate me from the world I left behind.

I'm so excited I can't sleep. I pull out my phone and try to play some School Idol Festival, but realize that I don't have internet after pressing "reload" about twenty times. I sigh, putting away my phone. I start tapping the floor, the foldout desk, the armrest.

"Will you cut it out? Seriously, what's your problem?" the girl hissed.

"Sorry, _you're_ making me nervous, m'am."

"Oh, for f***'s sake." she rolled her eyes and turned away from me.

Eleven hours later.

"We are beginning our descent." Yes! I jerked up straight in my seat, waking my neighbors.

"Really?" the girl started. "Are you f-" something caught her eye in the window. "AHHHH IT'S JAPAN!" she squealed, bouncing up and down in her seat.

"Hey, quiet down!" someone shouted angrily, awoken by her shrill voice. I decide not to take this opportunity to criticize her for being a hypocrite, as I too am captivated by the landmass below us. It's really happening. My dream. Before I know it, I'm joining the girl, squealing at the top of my lungs. My adventure has begun.

My legs feel weak as I pull my suitcase along. It's afternoon, and the airport is bustling with activity. Ugh, I gotta find the Narita Express… right… I spend a while figuring everything out. I mean, I've never rode on a train by myself before. Like seriously, what type of person rides the train in L.A.? After getting to Tokyo, I transfer to the Tokaido Shinkansen, which will take me to Numazu, in Shizuoka. I resist the urge to just stay in Tokyo and hit up Akiba for the rest of my life. I do the right thing and find myself at the exit of Numazu Station. Dude. This is where Aqours comes all the time! Imagine I see them here or something. Okay, gotta take the bus to Uchiura. I find a seat at the bus stop, and lay my head back. Ahhh, so tired… I look out at the orange sunset, which bathed everything in its glorious color. It was pretty humid out, and the temperature was very comfortable. Man, I could just sleep there. Without knowing, I did. I should have slept on the plane. I really should've.

My eyes open. It's dark. Where am I? In an instant, everything comes rushing into my head. The bus! I stand up. The bus… it's nighttime, and the station was completely empty. I take out my phone and read the time. It's eleven p.m. Well, so much for the bus. I'm screwed. Positively ****ed. No, no, no, what am I gonna do? Walk the way there? How long is that gonna take? I pace nervously, finally giving up and plopping back down on the seat. Oh, no… I haven't even done anything and already my adventure's screwed up. Then I remembered something my mom said. " _It's only an adventure if things don't go to plan"._ Yeah, yeah, whatever.

Suddenly the road was illuminated by a pair of headlights. A car pulled over and idled at the sidewalk in front of the station. This was my only chance. I don't know how the Japanese do with hitchhiking, but it's worth a try.

"Ah, excuse me! Excuse me!" I shout in my heavily accented Japanese. The car window rolled down, to reveal a middle aged woman with her hair tied in a round bun. She looked extremely frightened. Well, I would have been too if some random loser shows up at your window at night.

"Yes?"

"Umm… I missed the last bus, and was wondering if… you could take me to Uchiura? If it's convenient for you, of course," I asked in my best polite voice. Her face contorted into many expressions, apparently thinking very hard about what to do with me. Please… I thought. I can't be this unlucky… Finally, she SMILED.

"Alright, get in the backseat!" she said cheerfully. I cautiously open the door and climb in. "So, what are you doing in Uchiura? I've never seen you around. Visiting a relative?"

"Uh no, I'm actually an exchange student. I'm supposed to be at my home stay right now, but I was too tired from the flight and crashed over at the bus stop."

"Is that so? Where are you from, then?"

"L.A.. California. America… " The woman suddenly made a puzzled face.

"America? You don't look American at all!" she remarked. Sigh… I'm supposed to get super triggered but I was too tired to.

"Look, there are Asians in the US. Anyway, why are you at the station at this hour?" I asked, trying to change the topic.

"Well, I'm waiting for my daughter- wait, there she is!" the woman pointed out the window at a figure approaching from the shadows. When she entered the glow of the streetlight, I saw her clearly. She was wearing a skirt, a long sleeved shirt, and toted a pink purse. She had long, dark hair and beautiful almond eyes.

"Mom, who's that in the car?" She asked, voice crisp and clear in the night.

"Oh, don't worry, we're just giving him a ride to Uchiura. He's a new transfer student."

"Okay," the girl said suspiciously. I saw her apprehensive face in the golden light of the streetlamp as she boarded the shotgun seat. When we were all buckled up, the car zoomed away. We drove down a dark, curved road that ran next to the ocean. The water glimmered with moonlight, creating a picturesque scene against the backdrop of silhouetted palms. I rolled down the window and took a deep breath of the fresh night air, and smiled. Maybe missing the bus wasn't so bad. It's pretty nice right now, driving down the coast at midnight, breathing in the fresh air of a foreign land. I sighed, letting the wind blow through my black hair.

"Uh, can you please shut the window, sir?" the girl asked. Brought out of my trance, I quickly closed the window.

"Oh, sorry about that…" I replied shyly, feeling my face burn up in the darkness. Good thing she couldn't see!

"Unn. No worries," she retorted. Ahhh! She's so cute! Like seriously she's probably my type! Ah, whatever, I'll probably never see her again. Ugh but she's so sweet. After a while, the car came to a stop. The girl's mom turned to me, saying, "Well, we're in Uchiura. You have an address or something?"

"Uhhh, yeah hold on." I reach into my backpack and pull out my papers. I read her my home stay address.

"Well, that would be… next door…" the woman remarked. Our car had parked along a line of darkened houses.

"Oh, okay. You mean that house?"

"M-hmm."

"Okay, thanks for everything! Thanks for the ride! Oh yeah, here I'll pay you." I reach for my wallet.

"No, no it's no problem," she replied. "What a coincidence, our house is right next to yours! So, it wasn't anything out of the way. Everything's good! Now go ahead and get some sleep!"

"Thank you so much," I repeat, bowing. I take my luggage and walk to the neighboring house. Is anyone even awake at this time? It's like almost one. Holding my breath, I knock on the door. Once. Twice. Thrice.

"Who is it at this time? You-chan?" The door swung open, revealing a girl wearing pjs and short, dark hair. She rubbed her eyes- which went wide open when she realized that I was a stranger. "Ah, sorry! You must be tired! Have a rest at our ryokan!" Ryokan? What.

"Uh, actually I'm the transfer student. I'm supposed to be staying at this address…" I check to make sure. It's the same address.

"Transfer stu- wait, the one from America?"

"Yeah, from L.A.. Sorry, I kinda got sidetracked on the way here. I know it's late, so I'll just get to bed."

"Wait… Darren-san, is it?"

"Yup. And you are?"

"You don't look American, though," she said, sounding disappointed that I wasn't the blond moviestar of her dreams.

"And you are?" I repeated.

"Ah, sorry, it's Chika. Takami Chika."

* * *

 **Well, how lucky can I get? It looks like I've met my new host sister! What kinds of things will happen living with her? What other ladies will I meet? Tune in to the next chapter to find out!**

 ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****


	3. 3: New Dawn

3: New Dawn

"Come in! Sorry for my bad manners!" Chika said exasperatedly, ushering me into the house. It was a cosy, warm looking ryokan with a large common area adorned with sitting mats and a tea table. A couple hallways branched off into different rooms, presumably bedrooms made for visitors. "Ah, you must be hungry! Let me get you something to eat!"

"No, I'm fine… don't trouble yourself." I was actually really hungry, as I hadn't eaten since I got off the plane. I didn't care though, 'cause the fatigue was killing me. I felt my eyes droop and the blood pulsing through my head. "Sorry, but could you show me to my room? I'm very tired…"

"Oh, sure! Yes, you must be super tired. Here, leave your luggage right here. It'll be safe. For now, follow me to your room!" Chika grasped me by the hand and led me down one of the hallways. I felt her soft hand around mine, but was too tired to get all excited about it. All I wanted to do was sleep. A door slid open. I stumbled onto a futon. I fell asleep. I woke up. Only five minutes had passed. WAIT. IF THIS IS CHIKA'S HOUSE, AND THAT GIRL EARLIER LIVED NEXT DOOR, THEN… THAT'S RIKO! AHHHHHHH! HOW DID I NOT RECOGNIZE HER? Oh yeah this is real life. Lol. Then I fell back asleep.

My eyes opened. Where am I? I yawned, rubbing my eyes. I was in a lovely room, with a tatami mat and sliding doors. There was a low table next to the wall, and multiple sitting pillows. Sunlight filtered in through the blinds, illuminating a ray of dust particles in the air. I sighed, sitting up. I could hear the birds singing and cicadas chirping outside, their songs heralding the new dawn. The sound of waves lapping against the shore also reached my ears. What a beautiful day, I thought as I pulled back the blinds, opening the window. I was hit by a fresh breeze of ocean air and the smell of the sand. The road outside the ryokan, which I took to get here, ran alongside the ocean as far as I could see. The sea was so close. All I had to do was cross the street. Well, it's not like I don't see the ocean back home. But you can hardly find a tranquil scene like this back in Cali without five thousand other beach bums fooling around. The clear blue water lapped against the rocks, reflecting the bright rays of the sun. A small island could be seen across the bay. Is that Mari's? The scene was so beautiful I decided to climb out the window and jump into the ocean. When I had one leg over the windowsill, my bedroom door slid open.

"Darren-san? Good morning!"

"Ah sorry-" I quickly tried to retrieve my leg, sending myself tumbling back inside in a humiliating pile.

"Darren-san, are you okay!? What were you trying to do?" Chika exclaimed, running over to help me up. I took another look at her now that the sun was up. Her hair was a brown color, and three small braids tied with a yellow bow adorned it. The clover hairpin was there, too. She was wearing a light blue blouse and a dark blue skirt. I mean, she doesn't look the same as in the anime or anything, but she was quite a looker. Actually she was much prettier. Like seriously she's actually really hot. "Darren… san…?" Chika repeated, waving a hand in front of my face.

"Sorry! Yeah, I'm okay! Don't worry about me!" My face burned beet red. Hopefully she didn't notice me checking her out.

"Okay, that's great! Come on over to have breakfast! Come meet my family!" Chika pulled me by the hand and led me to the dining room, where a meal of sushi awaited me.

"Sushi? I don't usually eat that for breakfast," I remark.

"Really? Well, I wouldn't expect you to, coming from America and all. Hey look. It's my mom and my sisters!" Three females were seated at the table, all of which stood up to greet me when I arrived.

"Hello, Darren-san!" Chika's mother said. "It's so nice to have you here! You can call me mother! I am your host-mom, after all . If you ever need anything, just ask me! Chika, you better take good care of him!"

"Of course I will, mother," Chika retorted. "Oh yeah and these are Shima and Mito, my older sisters." The two sisters smiled and greeted me. Woah, they were also lookers. Like the hot senpai type. Wow, they must be college kids.

"Uh… thanks, everyone!" I announced awkwardly, unused to being the object of so many smiles. I sat down and began to eat breakfast.

"You forgot to say 'Itadakimasu!'" Mito whined.

"Lol I know, I just didn't want to act like those total weebs at home who say that before every meal," I replied cooly. The girls blinked, not comprehending what I meant. "You know? Those weebs? Agh never mind." I had so many questions for Chika, regarding Love Live and the other girls, but it was really awkward to talk about that in front of her mom. After we finished eating, Chika brought me my luggage, which I had left there yesterday.

"Here, get dressed! We're going out today!" she said.

"Really? Where are we going?"

"Just get dressed first." I quickly ran to my room and put on some clean clothes (a wrinkly t-shirt and jeans).

"Chika, I'm ready!" HAHAHA I saw Chika's disappointed expression when she saw my miserably basic outfit. "Not movie-star enough for you?" I thought. Oh wait I actually said it! Noooo why?

"Movie… star?" Chika replied, confused. "No, there's nothing wrong! You look great!" Lol that was really fake. "Anyway, tomorrow's Monday, and we have to go to school. That means we have to go get you a uniform right now."

"Hold on hold on- this is a girls' school, right? Does that mean I'll be wearing… Wait why am I even going to a girls school in the first place?" I exclaim.

"Oh, well this is a new exchange program thing that we coordinated with other schools around the world. I don't think that students are rejected just because of their gender, because we needed as many participants as possible for the new program. Our school needs a lot of funding, too."

"Well, okay, but still- WHAT UNIFORM AM I GOING TO WEAR?" My heart beat fast. I was not about to spend the year crossdressing. Like seriously? I mean, if this was Anime Expo or something it would've been fine. But I'm GOING TO SCHOOL with ONLY GIRLS. How am I gonna live out my harem fantasies if I'm one of the girls myself?

"I- really don't know. We'll have to see! Come on, we're burning daylight!" Chika reached to open the front door when it suddenly burst open from the other side.

"CHIKA-CHAN! OHAYOUSORO!" a girl with wavy, short hair, a white shirt, and blue shorts burst into the house. She had atop her head a white and yellow cap with the letters Y, O, and U in red across the front. "Chika-chan, what are we go-" You's eyes found mine. "Eh-ehh? Who's that, Chika?"

"Oh, he's my friend," Chika stated nonchalantly. "We were just going out today."

"Wh-what?" You stuttered. "A BOY? CHIKA?" Seriously, why did Chika have to put it that way? Was she showing off to You or something? Lol.

"What's wrong with that? That's right, he's a boy. And you're not really making a good impression of yourself by ignoring him this whole time," Chika shot.

"Ahh, sorry sorry!" You bowed. "I'm Watanabe You . Nice to meet you!"

"Call me Darren! Nice to meet you too! You look great today! Ohayousoro!" NOOO why did I say those last two lines AGHHHHH I wanted to make my intro less superficial but it probably just came out weird and stalker-like saying she looked good and copying an inside phrase that I had supposedly just heard for the first time!

"Eh-heh, th-thanks," You answered, eyes pointed to the ground. Oh, no, did I just creep her out? Suddenly, she took a great breath and blurted, "You look great too." Then she just started giggling and ran back outside, pulling Chika along. Really? My wrinkly old t-shirt looks good? I followed the two outside and into the fresh morning air.

"Is that your first time talking to a boy or something?" Chika was teasing You. "That's so awkward!"

"Ahh, stop it stop it! He's right there!" You said. I acted like I didn't hear, and they were all smiles when I came up to them. All of a sudden, I heard a window slide open. It was the house next door.

"Chika-chan? You-chan? You going somewhere?" Riko's head poked out her upstairs bedroom.

"Hurry, Riko-chan! Come down here! Hurry!" Chika shouted.

"Okay, I'm coming!" Riko replied, shutting the window. A few seconds later, she came running out to meet us. "What's the hurry?"

"Meet my new host-brother, Darren!" Chika proclaimed. Riko's eyes suddenly grew wide when she noticed me. Yes, she was the girl from last night. She was wearing a tank top and short shorts, which revealed her long, smooth legs. I couldn't help but stare… It was really hot. I mean, I was all sweating and everything.

"AHHHHHH!" Riko screamed, running back into the house.

"Uhh… what was that?" I said aloud. A minute later, Riko came back out in her pink dress and denim cardigan-thingy.

"I'm so sorry, sir! I- Chika-chan! Why didn't you tell me there was a bo- guest?" Riko said, exasperated. Chika and You burst out laughing. Seriously, Riko was embarrassed about her earlier outfit? I mean, I saw that EVERY DAY back home, even in winter. I mean, they were much more revealing too. But Riko was super hot, so I guess things are different.

"Hello again," I said.

"Uh- hi," Riko replied, brushing the hair out of her face, which was blushed a nice pink. You nudged me in the shoulder.

"Checking her out, are ya?" she said slyly.

"Wha-no! Why would I? I mean, of course I would but like not like that I mean-"

"You-chan," Riko cut me off, "please be appropriate and act like a lady. I'm pretty sure you haven't had much experience with boys, so you'd best follow my lead." Wow. That was unexpected.

"Yeah, yeah, bet you had a ton of guys after you back in Tokyo," You muttered.

"Guys?" Chika interrupted. "I have things to do with Darren right now, if you don't mind. Come along if you like, but don't scare Darren away before he even begins school!" She took me by BOTH hands this time and pulled me past You and Riko, leading me on towards the school.

"Wait up!" You shouted.

"Chika-chan!" Riko called. They ran to catch up with us.

As we walked along on that beautiful morning, feeling the cool breeze blow through our hair, hearing the cicadas chirp, watching the sea move and the sun shine, I couldn't help but smile. I was living my dream, surrounded by three beautiful girls. What could go wrong?

* * *

 **Wasn't this just a beautiful morning? It seems like I've made a number of new friends- Chika, Riko, and You. Want to make unforgettable memories with them? Read on!**

 ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****


	4. 4: A Day Out

4: A Day Out

The school looked just like the anime. Like, I don't wanna spend an hour describing in detail what it looked like with "imagery" and all that "figurative language" crap that we do in English. Let's just say it was a nice, humble-looking school. You know what I _want_ to describe with "imagery" and "similes"? THE GIRLS! Okay nevermind. No need to act like a pervert. Anyway, the four of us arrived at the gates of Uranohoshi Girls' High School.

"Okay, time to see what type of uniform I'll get," I announced, bracing myself. My heart was already racing.

"Don't worry, Darren! Even if they make you wear a girl uniform, I'm sure you'll still look great!" You said cheerfully, patting my shoulder.

"You-chan, stop being so familiar! You're going to make him uncomfortable," Riko scolded, "you've only just met him for less than a day!"

"Riko-chan, You-chan, you're both making him uncomfortable," Chika interjected. "Darren-san, don't be afraid to tell them if they're bothering you." She grabbed my hand and pulled me onward.

"Okay," I replied nervously. She was the one making me uncomfortable, with all this hand holding and stuff. There were some people around, but not many. We took off our shoes as we stopped in front of the lockers.

"Ah, you don't have any inside shoes," Chika said. "Here, I have an extra." She reached inside her locker and pulled out a pair of shoes.

"Uhh, you expect my feet to fit in that?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah… I don't think anyone in this school has feet as big as yours…" she replied.

"Wow, that sure makes me feel great… whatever, I can just go in my socks." We proceeded up a flight of stairs, and made our way down a hallway. We passed a group of girls, all of which stared at me wide-eyed. I felt really nervous. We stopped at the student council room, and entered.

"Excuse me," Chika said. "One of the transfer students is here, and needs a uniform." A girl sitting at a desk looked up. She had long, straight hair and perfectly cut bangs. She had a serious expression, and looked annoyed that her work had been disturbed. Suddenly, she broke into a great smile.

"Chika! Riko! You! And...?" the girl questioned, standing up and bowing.

"Darren," I answered, bowing. IS. THAT. DIA?

"Nice to meet you. My name is Kurosawa Dia, president of the student council. You are the new transfer student, no?"

"Um- yeah. I need a uniform, and I was wondering since this is a girls' school…"

"Oh, don't worry about that," Dia cut me off. "Come, our chairwoman has prepared everything." We went through an adjacent door into another office. A blond girl stood, looking out the window. She had on a light blue uniform white stockings. Turning around when we entered, she squealed, "SHINY! NAISU CHU MICHUU! I"M MARI!" I almost fainted. Was it because I was meeting the real Mari or because her scream almost destroyed my ears?

"Nice to meet you! I'm Darren," I say, bowing.

"Why so formal?" Mari said, approaching me and raising a palm. "HAI FAIVU!"

"Uhhhh…." I gave her the high five.

"You from the Amerika, no? Everyone so casual and chill, no?"

"Well, not everyone…I'm okay at Japanese, so it's okay if you speak to me in Japanese."

"Awww, you're no fun," Mari whined, switching to Japanese. "Anyway, I specially ordered the male uniforms for our transfer students!" She opened a wardrobe, taking out a uniform and unfolding it. YES! It was a real boy uniform! Similar to the girl uniform, it was white and gray. It consisted of a sailor top as well, except less tight and the tie was longer; also it was actually pointed at the end. My tie was red, because I was a second year. The pants were gray, with a white stripe near the bottom.

"Wow, thanks so much! It must have been such a trouble getting these custom made and everything."

"No, it was nothing," Mari replied. I noticed there were other male uniforms in the wardrobe.

"Here's your school bag," Dia said, giving me a big black bag. Yes! Time to customize it, I thought. "Well, you're all set! Take good care of him, Chika!" We left the room, and departed for home.

"I really want to buy some stuff for school," I said. "Are there any stores around?"

"Oh, I totally forgot! Want to go to Numazu?" Chika asked.

"Sure!" the rest of us agreed. We headed to the bus stop, and boarded the bus. I was squished in the back with the girls, even though the rest of the bus was empty.

"So why were you at Numazu station that late last night?" Riko asked. She was sitting on my right, and I could feel her tenseness, as she sat up completely straight.  
"Oh, I fell asleep at the bus stop," I answered.

"Wow, you must be really jetlagged! You sure you don't need to rest up for school tomorrow?" Her voice was so soft.

"No, I'm fine. It's just like doing homework on a Sunday night!" I replied. She didn't get it. Guess she doesn't procrastinate. Come on, come on, what else can I say to her? One of the things I hate the most is not knowing what to talk about, especially with a pretty girl. "Oh uh-" Suddenly, the bus lurched, sending us flying sideways. I crashed into Riko, crushing her against the side. I found my face buried in her chest!

"Ahhhh!" She screamed, shoving me off.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" I shouted. Riko folded her arms over her chest, giving me a pouty face.

"It was an accident," I said.

"I understand, don't worry about it. I was just a little surprised, that's all," Riko replied, trying to smile.

"Eeeeeeeehh! You face is so red!" You exclaimed, pointing at me. Chika displayed a picture on her phone- it was me smushed against Riko. Chika smiled, saying, "You sure stayed on her a long time after the bus finished turning!"

"Hey-hey! Guys! Stop!" I say, too embarrassed to look at Riko.

"Aww, you're so cute!" You squealed. "Look, Darren's embarrassed face is so cute!" She reached over the aisle and poked my face.

"Hey," I cried, grabbing the cap off her head and putting it on.

"My cap! It's not for you!" You berated.

"Well, it does say 'you' on it!" I shot back."OHHHHHH GET REKT!"

"Hey... " You said, pouty face and all. I made the pouty face back at her. Chika suddenly burst out laughing, "Oh, you guys are just like a fighting couple!"

"What? No," I say, tossing the cap back to You.

"Guys, this is our stop," Riko announced, standing up. We left the bus, arriving in downtown Numazu. It was bustling with activity today, with tons of people up and down the street. I was disoriented by the number of high-rise buildings, because there hardly that many back in L.A. Like the only city in America with a ton of skyscrapers is like New York. In Japan basically every city is filled with multi-level high-rises and skyscrapers.

"Okay, I need to get some school supplies," I say, beginning to walk in a random direction up the street. We find a stationery store, filled to the brim with pens and pencils of all types. Paradise. I run in, screaming, "THERE ARE SO MANY PENS!" There are rows and rows of Oxi-gels on the wall. Why does everyone call them Oxi-gels? They're actually Alpha Gels. Did no one take trigonometry or something (Oxy-gels are a very popular lead pencil from Japan that people always trade and steal because of its worth, they are actually called Alpha Gels due to the mathematical alpha symbol).

"Hey, check this out!" Chika came running over with an orange lead pencil, adorned with a mikan on top. "Mikan!"

"Wow, that's cute," I say. "Tell you what- I'll buy it for you." Chika looked at me suspiciously. "What are you trying to do? Make me owe you?"

I took the pencil and purchased it, along with a mountain of other loot.

"Ah, thank you, Darren-san," Chika said, looking flustered.

"No problem, Chika-chan," I replied coolly. Chika brushed back her hair, looking at me with wide eyes. She was really cute.

"I-it's not like I owe you or anything," she burst out, flipping her hair and turning to leave. I smelled her shampoo. I smiled, following her out. Man, I'm like broke now.

"We should get lunch!" You suggested. We hit up the McDonalds, or "Makku". We were greeted by an "Irasshaimase!" when we entered. We sat at a booth next to a group of high school boys who glared at me jealously. As I ate my McNuggets, I overheard them saying, "Aren't those girls from Uranohoshi?" "Yeah, they're some famous school idols or something." "What's that guy doing with them? He looks like a total loser. Probably an otaku or something. How does he get those chicks?" "I know right!"

They were all in their school blazers, with shag haircuts and everything. I could take those skinny wimps any day. Nah, I don't wanna make a bad impression in front of the girls. As I finished my last McNugget, I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"Oy. Who're you? How'd a trash otaku like you get these lasses?" It was one of the boys. His hair was bleached brown, and he wore a crooked grin. I didn't know how to reply.

"Uh..." Suddenly, You stood up.

"Look, I'd pick this 'trash otaku' over you anyday, bird face! Get lost!" You shouted. The kid looked taken aback by her words.

"You-chan, stop it," Riko, said nervously.

"Why? A bunch of losers are hurting my friend. Leave us alone!" she said to the boys, who were all laughing out loud. Everyone else in the restaurant was staring at us, and the clerk looked at us nervously. "You know what? Let's go," You said, pulling me to my feet. We left the Makku. "I can't stand people like that," You ranted. "I just don't know why they have to be such jerks!" Chika and Riko looked at each other uneasily.

"I know," I said, touching her arm. "But thank you for helping me. I should've been the strong one," I say in a sincere voice. Suddenly her angry face softened.

"No- no, it's alright. Don't blame yourself. You're the one that should be protected anyway, being surrounded by strange people in a strange land," You said, reaching on her tiptoes and patting my head.

For dinner, we decided to grab some shabu-shabu. We sat around, cooking the meat.

"Darren-san, is this the first time you'll have shabu-shabu?" Riko pondered.

"Oh, no, I've had it many times back home," I reply.

"Oh really? They have this in America?"

"Yup. But it was never as good as this!"

"What? You haven't even taken a bite yet!" You interjected.

"Yeah. But I'm with good people, that's why."

"... Darren-san… you're too nice…" Chika moaned.

"So, guys, how's Love Live coming along? Your School Idol Project? Sunshine!?" I blurt.

"Wait, you know what that is?" Riko asked.

"Of course! I watched the anime! I'm a big fan."

"Th-there's an anime about us already?" You said.

"Of course! It's getting a season two in fall!"

"Oh, really? Well, I'm pretty sure the stuff in the anime is non-canon," Chika reasoned. "I mean, we never won Love Live or anything. All that stuff in the anime is like alternate universe or something. It's like it happened but didn't at the same time... "

It doesn't make any sense, but whatever. I guess I'm living in a fanfic or something.

Anyway, we began to eat. It was better than any I had tried before. I look at the menu. Hmm… maybe I should order some drinks? I call the waitress and ask for sake. She came back with a bottle and small cups.

"SAKE?" Riko exclaimed. "We're not legal yet!"

"Hey, keep it down, someone'll hear!" You said.

"Hey, my parents aren't around," I say. I pour some sake and drink it, the strange taste filling my mouth.

"Well, I guess it's worth a try," Riko said, pouring a cup. Chika and You similed mischievously, pouring cups as well.

"Well, let's make a toast," Chika announced. "To Darren's new school life!"

"To Darren's new school life! Kanpai!" we drank. Soon the whole bottle was gone.

"D-Darren, you're face is all red!" Riko said.

"Yours is too!" I reply.

"All of ours are!" You shouts. We burst out laughing.

"We should get going." We split the check, and turned to leave.

"Oh, excuse me! Excuse me!" The waitress came chasing after us. "I forgot to check for identification for the alcohol! Can you please show me some form of identification?" We stopped and looked at each other. Oh s***. Apparently, You and I thought of the exact same thing at the exact same time.

"RUN!" We burst out running, Riko and Chika trailing after us. My heart beat fast as we slipped passed the crowd, the cool night air blowing on our faces. We laughed gleefully, finally coming to a stop some time later. We stood there, panting, laughing, and sweating. You leaned on me.

"That was awesome," she panted, giving me a great big smile.

"Yeah, it was. I think I've just become a criminal," I reply, wiping away my sweat. Chika and Riko catch up, out of breath.

"Guys! That was so dangerous!" Riko scolded.

"Well, it was fun," Chika remarked.

We boarded the last bus back to Uchiura, riding in silence through the night. The girls, all wasted, quickly fell asleep, their soft heads leaning on my shoulders. You was on the outside, so she ended up falling across Riko and my lap. I couldn't sleep, though. Tomorrow was it. The first day of school. What was going to happen? I didn't know.

I turn and look at my new friends, whom I've had such a great time with today.

I'm sure, with them, everything was going to be just fine.

* * *

 **Today was amazing. I bonded so well with my new friends! I have an interesting dynamic with each of them. Although their personalities are different, I love them all. So far, this program has been great! I haven't gone to school yet, though. I'm so anxious. What's going to happen tomorrow?**

 ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****


	5. 5: School

5: School

"Kawaiiiiiiiiiiiii!" the three girls squealed in unison. I pulled at the stiff new uniform as I entered the common room, where Chika, Riko, and You were all waiting.

"Uh… thanks…" I mutter. Too be honest, I was really nervous about my first day of school. What was going to happen? Would people like me? My heart racing, I picked up my bag and started to head out.

"Oh my, Darren's nervous," Chika observed. "Don't worry! You'll be fine. I'm sure everyone will love you!"

The school was crowded with activity. Girls here, girls there, girls everywhere!

"Why are you smiling like that?" You asked.

"Wh-what? Oh nothing." I didn't realize that I was grinning ear to ear after seeing all these new "prospects". As I walked into the school, girls were glancing at me from all around. I couldn't make eye contact with all of them, because there were just too many. I saw some of them kinda look envious at Chika, Riko, and You, who were around me.

"Hey, can you guys like, how do I put this… not act like you're with me? Cuz I can't turn these girls off… gotta let them know I'm still open, you know?" I whispered.

"Really? Well, I don't think they think that way…" Riko replied.

"Oh, yeah, that new boy?" I overheard a group of girls gossiping.

"Yeah, that one? He's sooooooo cute!"

Wait. What? This can't be happening.

"I know right? I hope he's in our class!" My heart started racing even faster. So it's true. I am gonna get some chicks. We approached our class: 2-3. Alright. I'm ready. Time to get in there and show'em what's up. You're the man Darren. You got this. You-

"Yessss! He's in our class! He's right over there! Let's go talk to him!" I heard a large group of footsteps racing towards my direction. Oh my gosh. Am I seriously about to be attacked by an army of beautiful girls? The footsteps grew louder- and louder-

-and went right past me.

To someone else. He was male.

NOOOOO!

"Hiiii! What is your name?"

"Oh, you're sooooooo tall!"

My fears were confirmed. I turned to see a tall, blonde boy with blue eyes and a perfect smile. Around fifteen girls were surrounding him, taking selfies and I dunno, trying to get his autograph? My heart sank.

"Lol, look at this kid, he's such a fake. Right, guys?" I look around me. "Chika? Riko? You?" They were gone. NOOOOOO! The three of them were over there surrounding Mr. Pretty Boy, just like the rest of the girls. I felt so betrayed… Seriously? I thought they were like fighting for my love or something! How'd they just ditch me so quickly?" Screw this. I walk into my classroom and head for the back corner. You know that seat next to the window? Back corner? Yeah. I sit down and look out the window. What a buzzkill.

"Yes, yes, milady. London, yes!" Wow. He was British? Okay I'm practically out of the game already so I should just give up. Like, nothing against British people or anything, but it's just that girls always dig that accent. Plus he's "good looking". What made it worse was when I heard Riko's voice in ENGLISH: "Wow, I love your accent! It's so pretty!"

"Why, thank you! Your English is pretty as well, and you're looking quite pretty yourself," the Brit replied. UGHHHHHH RIKO, WHY? NANDE? "Would you care to sit with me? I don't believe I have many friends, as I am still a newcomer here."

"Oh, I'd be delighted to," Riko replied. WHAT? I sat and watched as every single girl tried to sit in the front next to pretty boy. Apparently, Riko and You sat on his right and left, and Chika was right behind him. I know they're not my harem or anything, but I couldn't help but get my eyes all watery. Like seriously? What a fail. Now I'm probably gonna spend the rest of the year sitting next to some loner who doesn't give a s*** about boys. Sigh.

"Um, may I sit here?" A voice sounded, snapping me back into reality. I looked up to see a girl. She had long, black hair that was slightly curled at the ends and curved bangs. She held her hands behind her back and smiled nervously.

"Uh-uh yes, of course!" I suddenly sat up straight and gestured towards the seat next to me. "Please do!"

"Thank you," she replied, seating herself. "So, you're one of the new transfer students, no?"

"Yep. The name's Darren! Nice to meet you!" I try my best to sound confident.

"I'm Tsushima Yukio. Nice to meet you too," she said. Her voice was really sweet sounding. WAIT. TSUSHIMA?

"Sorry, Tsushima Yukio? You don't mean Tsushima Yoshiko?" I ask.

"Yoshiko? You know her? Oh, she's just my cousin. Trust me! I'm not like her, Darren-san."

"Did I say anything bad about her? Anyway, that's crazy! You're actually her cousin?"

"Yeah… she's really different from me, you know… I get worried about her all the time… people say she's too immature for her age," She responded with a voice of concern.

"Oh, don't worry about that, Yukio-san. We're all special. Anyway, I'm glad you decided to sit next to me. I was all worried that everyone would just talk to Mister Pretty over there."

"Mr. Pretty? I don't think that's his name… oh, you're welcome!" Yukio replied softly.

"Yeah! Also, I really like your hair. It's so cute!" I add on, just to score some points. Wait should I have said that? Oh no.

"Hu-huh? Oh, thank you," she replied, smiling and brushing her hair nervously. Her smile was so cute. "S-so, where are you from?" She asked, smiling.

"America," I reply. Here we go again.

"America? But you don't look American! That's pretty odd… the boy over there looks more American than you, and he is British!"

"You do realize that not all Americans are white, right?" Yokio just looked all confused. Sigh. Suddenly, the talking died down, and everyone got settled in their seats. An old, grumpy-looking man entered the class.

"Good morning, Yamamoto-sensei," the class said in unison. Oh my. He looked mean.

"Good morning, class. Well, it looks as if we have new students today. Please, come up to the front and introduce yourself, one by one." Yamamoto-sensei's voice was raspy and harsh. As expected, the blonde quickly took his place at the front of the class.

"Good morning, everyone. My name is Howard Roberts, and I am from London. I look forward to meeting you all! If anyone requires help on English, you know who to call!" Then he gave this gross wink and the girls literally went hysteric. I didn't want to go up, so I tried to wait until the giggling and whispering died down after Howard returned to his seat. Right before I decided to rise, the person sitting in front of me did. It was another boy. Sigh.

"Hello everyone! My name is Kent Ohara. I'm from New Zealand!" He smiled goofily and adjusted the pair of rectangular glasses on his face. Okay, so he was one of those Japanese-New Zealanders. Ohara? Uh…

"Are you not Japanese?" a girl questioned.

"Well…" Kent started, but I cut him off.

"I feel you man!" I stood up and jogged to the front. "My name's Darren, and I'm from America. Now I know you might think I'm not, but I am! So yeah. Not all westerners are white!" All the girls just looked confused and awkward. "Oh yeah and also come to me if you need English help as well." I tried to imitate Howard's wink, but the girls didn't seem amused. After a few moments of awkwardness, I went back to my seat. F**********! I screwed up so bad.

"Hey, nice to meet ya," Kent said, turning around in his seat. "You watch Love Live?"

"W-well yeah, of course!"

"You see those three in the front? You know who they are?"

"Yeah of course. I literally spent the whole yesterday on a triple date with them."

"WHAT?"

"Yup."

"So, why are they sitting up there with Sir Howard?"

"Um. I was thinking the same thing."

"Yo, that ain't fair. We gotta beat this guy."

"Look, he's a hottie. We don't stand a chance, bro."

"Hey, can you guys please quiet down?" Yukio whispered. "We're about to take a test." Kent and I went silent and received the test that was being administered.

"OH, F***!" Kent shouted when he got it. I stared down at the paper. It was a KANJI test. They still learn these in high school? Well, it's not like it matters.

"Hey, our scores don't matter, Kent," I whisper. "We're international students, right? I heard the grades don't count."

"Really? That's awesome! I'm done!" Kent stood up and turned in the test to a surprised Yamamoto-sensei.

"Hey, but you should still try your best. It'll help you learn," Yukio whispered. Her eyes were so innocent and honest that I felt my face burn up. I had to try my best. Okay. I grip my pencil tightly- I don't know any of this kanji. I end up drawing random kanji out of the radicals I know, and manage to fill the paper. Welp, at least I tried my best! I rise and turn in the paper.

It is lunchtime, and apparently you can eat anywhere in this school. I didn't bring a bento, so I bought lunch at the cafeteria. It was some "spaghetti", but you could tell it was made with ramen noodles. I sat down at an empty table like a total loser.

"Hey Darren!" Yukio cried cheerfully and sat down next to me. "How was the test?"

"Uh, I messed up real bad."

"Aw, that's okay. I can help you if you need. You can help me with my English too. I mean, I'm pretty sure Howard-san is already occupied." Yukio opened her bento and took out a sushi with her chopsticks. "Here! Ahhhh…" She raised the sushi to my face. Wait what? I nervously opened my mouth and she put in the sushi. I felt almost too nervous to bite down, but once I did, my taste buds exploded with flavor.

"Is it good?"

"Too good! Did you make this yourself?" I ask.

"Yup! Thanks!" Seriously, Yukio is too nice. I saw Kent walking over. He sat down next to Yukio.

"Hey guys," he said. "Care if I join you?"

"I do," I said. I was not about to have this lovely girl defiled by some weird nerd.

"Ha! That's a joke, right?" Kent said, smiling that goofy smile. He adjusted his crooked glasses.

"Yo, are you related to Mari Ohara, by any chance?" I ask.

"Yup! I'm her cousin. I don't spend much time with her, though, since we live so far from each other," Kent said matter-of-factly.

"Really?! Wow, you must be rich!" I explode.

"Nah, not really. Hey Yukio, you're Yohane's cousin?"

"Yes, I'm Yoshiko's cousin!" Yukio replied to Kent. All of a sudden, Riko, Chika, and You showed up and sat down next to us.

"Hey Darren!" Chika exclaimed. "You made friends with Yukio-chan? That's great!" The three greeted Kent, who looked like he was about to faint in the presence of the Love Live cast.

"Yo, what was that whole sitting up in the front with Howard all about?" I ask, genuinely salty.

"Well, he's a real cool guy. Swell," You explained. "You should get to know him! We could make a big friend group." Uh, no thanks. That's disgusting.

"Yes, and his English is so good!" Riko said excitedly.

"You mean mine isn't?" I blurt.

"No, no, it's just that his is so… nice-sounding, you know?"

"Wow, I feel so loved." I am so done with that Howard guy. I looked over at Kent, whose mouth was wide open.

"That's crazy! You talk so casually and comfortable with these girls! How do you do that?" he shouted. All the girls just looked at him.

"Oh, you know he's my host-brother, right?" Chika said casually.

"WHAT?" Kent looked all jealous and everything, which actually made me feel happy. At least there was someone below me.

After lunch, we went back to class. At the end of the day, our tests were graded and passed back. I got a zero percent.

"Oh, yeah," Yamamoto sensei said, who had come in after class, "for the transfer students, all grades will count on your official transcript back home. So please try your best."

WAIT, WHAT? I look back down at the big red zero on my test.

GRADES COUNT?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

* * *

 **Aw, man. I actually have to study? This is not good. Well, at least I made some new friends. Yukio is really nice and sweet. I hope we can talk more! Oh, Kent. He's pretty weird, you know? But I mean, I do need a guy friend to make it more interesting. Ah, but that Howard. Stop stealing all the girls! Well, I have to go study!**

 ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****


	6. 6: Grades and Girls

6:Grades and Girls

"It's okay! Don't worry about it!" Chika said, patting my shoulder for the twentieth time.

"It's not! I have to get back and start studying. I can't ruin my perfect GPA!" I say hastefully, picking up my bag and leaving the room.

"Wait, don't you want to come with us to the club room? You can meet the rest of Aqours," You said. I really wanted to, but I seriously had to start studying that kanji. I'm seriously screwed. Like totally.

"Hey, we can help you study! All nine of us," Riko suggested. "Come on, it'll be fun!" Wow. Nine girls helping me study? Now THAT'S motivation.

"Yeah, okay," I said. "Oh, bye bye, Yukio!" I turn and wave.

"Ah, bai bai!" Yukio smiled, waving back. "Say hi to Yoshiko for me!"

"Hey, what about me? Can I come?" Kent interjected.

"Bro, no one invited you," I shot. I was not about to have a weirdo tagging along for the entire year as I picked up chicks.

"Hey, he can come if he wants," You defended him. "Here, you can watch our practice!" You grabbed Kent's arm and started leading him away.

Six pairs of eyes looked up when we opened the door.

"You brought the transfer students? How could you," Dia said sternly, looking very flustered. Lol, was she embarrassed or something?

"Squeeee!" Ruby squealed, leaping behind Hanamaru.

"Maru? Zura? Boys? Zura!" Hanamaru said, also looking embarrassed.

"Hey, this is Darren and Kent. They're gonna watch us practice!" Chika cheered. Yoshiko was sitting up totally straight, with her hands folded on the table. Wow, I bet she's acting all proper and stuff cuz I was there, and she's shy! The gorgeous Matsuura Kanan was also there, smiling warmly. Mari stood up and cried excitedly, "Thhaaat's GREAAAT! You can help with so many things, Darren!" she walked over and gave me a hug. I felt her lush hair against my face, and smelled her designer perfume. I was too shocked to hug her back, but she pulled away in time. Then she glared at Kent. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh, not here for you of course," Kent replied. "Hey, I have privileges. I'm your cousin, okay? Like, this kid here doesn't have any right to be here. So if he's here, then I can be, okay?"

"Yeah, whatever." We went to the roof, after the girls changed into their casual clothes. Wow. That's hot. They started to practice the dance to "Kimi no Kokoro wa Kagayaiteru Kai", and Kent and I sat on a bench, watching.

"Kid, stop staring at their legs," Kent shouted in English, smacking me in the arm.

"Really dude? You're the one secretly trying to take pictures with that phone of yours. What a lie, 'I 'm texting my friend'. You don't even have service! Ha! Exposed!" I shout back, swiping his phone and browsing through all the pictures he took of the girls. "Man, these are some nice pics, though."

"Yo, give it back!"

"Hey, send me these pics, 'kay?" I laugh, giving him back the phone. After the girls finished the song, they took a break.

"How were we?" Yoshiko said, approaching us. She was all sweaty and stuff, also looking nervous.

"You were great!" Me and Kent said in unison.

"Heh, thanks…" she replied.

"Darren!" Riko called. "Kanan says she can help you with homework right now."

"Okay, sure!" I called back. Kanan? Wow. She walked over, still breathing heavily. Her ponytail swung side to side, and she smiled.

"Hello, Darren! I've pretty much got the dance down, so I have time to help you with whatever you need. Hey, let's go over there." Kanan led me to a bench on the other side of the rooftop. I looked out over the railing, where I could see the glistening sea. Kanan untied her hair, just as a breeze blew in from the sea. It blew through her hair, and the scene almost like intoxicated me. After staring transfixed, I was brought back to reality when she told me to sit down. Man, she looked great with her hair down too. "So, what do you need help on?" she asked nicely.

"Uh, basically everything. Starting with kanji."

"Oh… well okay. You need to learn the useful ones first, especially if you want to survive in other classes, like science or history. Can I see your homework?"

I reach into my bag and take out the stack of paper.

"I'm totally screwed, Matsuura-san."

"No, it's okay. Here. Let's start with this one." We began going over kanji, and I copied the strokes so many times that my arm hurt. Meanwhile, the other girls resumed their practice on the other side of the roof.

"Agh, my arm hurts," I moan.

"Okay, let's take a break. Good job, Darren!" Kanan gave me a pat on the back. I felt so accomplished! Now you're probably thinking that I was just staring at her the whole time and not listening, but I was doing both. I mean, I can learn well when I want to please someone, you know?

"Thank you so much, Matsuura-san. I don't know where I'd be without you."

"No, thank you! I love to help others. You're such a fast learner!" Kanan petted my head. "Aww, your hair's so soft!" I smiled awkwardly in return. What, you expect me to like, touch her hair back? "Here, have a snack," she said, pulling out a bag of Pocky from her school bag.

"Wow, thanks!" I open the chocolate-banana flavored Pocky and munch on one. "You ever heard of the Pocky thing? Where two people put it in their mouths on either side? And try not to kiss or something?" Lol, I remember back home when all the weebs would play that game. People just posted it on Facebook and made them never forget it. Cuz the thing was, it was always between two boys, if you know what I mean. But, I'm not like them. I think I have a chance, no?

"Oh, that thing? I've never tried it before," Kanan said. "You want to?"

Oh my gosh. Dude, she's literally asking me if I want to put a Pocky between our mouths. Of course I want to. Ahgh, but I can't just be such a pimp, you know. I have my morals.

"Well, I was only asking if you knew about it… but if it's okay with you… ah never mind, it was just a random thought," I trail off.

"Here," Kanan said, placing a Pocky in her mouth. She reached over and wrapped her arms around my neck. My heart suddenly began racing at a million beats per minute. "It's fine! I won't bite," Kanan mumbled out of the corner of her mouth. I timidly reached forward and put the other end of the Pocky into my mouth. We slowly inched closer and closer, lips closing around the Pocky. I felt sweat running down my face. Am I seriously going to get my first kiss right now? Isn't this a little too early in the story?

Right when our lips were about to touch, Kanan bit off her end and ate it.

I was just traumatized, the Pocky coating melting in my mouth. Suddenly, Kanan began to giggle, little cute giggles.

"Darren-san! You're so cute when you're nervous like that," she said, patting me on the head again. "It's okay, I won't do anything weird! It's just that I never meet boys that often. I can't help it when I do!" Man, Kanan was some girl.

"Hey, you lovebirds done yet?" Dia's voice resounded. We quickly scooted away from each other and turned to see the rest of the girls and Kent standing there.

"How much did you see?" I scream. Kent laughed.

"The whole thing, bro," he said, holding up his phone. "Got it all on video. HAHA you should see your beet-red face!"

"I-I was just teaching him the Pocky game," Kanan stuttered. "Don't think much of it." Ruby was literally about to faint. She vanished behind the shocked Maru.

"Love, zura?" she remarked.

"No, it's nothing!" I wail. "She was just giving me a reward for being such a good student."

Apparently, that came out wrong or something 'cause all of their eyes went wide.

"Wow… that's… nice to know," Yoshiko said awkwardly. Kent was doubled over, laughing like crazy. Sighhhhhhhh, so embarrassing. Well, it was worth the doki-doki experience.

Me, Chika, and Riko approached home. I felt so awkward, since they didn't say anything the whole way back.

"You're really having fun here, aren't ya," Chika blurted out.

"Wh-what? Well yeah, kind of." I replied. We arrive home, waving goodbye to Riko. I go to my room and flop down on my futon. Man, a lot of weird things happened today. If every day was like this, how would I survive? As I lay there, I began to hear a melody. It was the piano version of "Yume no Tobira". Riko-chan? I decide to go outside and watch her from below her balcony. What a stalker I am. Riko was playing the piano in her room, singing with her absolutely gorgeous voice. When she was done, I couldn't help but applaud. When she heard, she suddenly got all self conscious. She went to the balcony and looked down at me.

"Darren-san? You heard my music?"

"Yup. It was so good. I wish I could do that," I say to her.

"Well-thank you," she replied. Would you care to join me up here?"

"Oh, I'd love to," I called. Riko's house? I waited at the front door, where Riko invited me in. I greeted her mom, who called, "Have fun, kids!", chuckling. Riko shook her head, leading me up the stairs and into her room.

It was a nice little room, just like in the anime. The piano was there and all. Wow. That's the bed that Riko sleeps on every night! My heart skips a beat as Riko closes the door.

"Have a seat," she said. I plop down on her bed, acting all casual, when in reality I was trying to savor every moment of being on her bed. Who knew if I would ever get this opportunity again for the rest of my life? "Here, have some tea," she said, handing me a cup of green tea. I try to sip it all elegant and all, but it burned my tongue the moment I touched it.

"Yeow! Why do I burn my tongue EVERY TIME?" I complain.

"You gotta blow it," Riko chastised, taking the cup and softly blowing across the tea. "Here, now try." She lifted the cup to my lips and tilted it. Wow, Riko is literally feeding me. I was so nervous that I just kept drinking, and Riko didn't know when to stop until the tea was out. Then she put the cup back on the tray and sat down on her piano seat. We just sat there all awkward, until I said, "SO, how's HOWARD?" Riko looked taken by surprise.

"Um-well- he's really nice! This is actually the first time I've talked with one of those foreigners. I mean, I saw them in Tokyo all the time, but I never got the courage to talk to them."

"Uh, so you're saying I'm not a foreigner?"

"Oh yeah… I mean, one of the western foreigners. It's easy to forget you're a foreigner, you know? We usually just think of them as people who look like Howard." I already knew that.

"So? You like him or something?"

"Wh-what? No, of course not! Uh-um, why? I just- just want to make friends with him, that's all. It's just that when I first saw him, his eyes were so welcoming and warm, I just knew in my heart that we had a connection. Like, as if it was a fated encounter, you know? I mean, it's not like romance or anything, it's just that I really felt that feeling."

"Sounds like you like him!" I jest.

"No, no I don't, Darren-san!"

"Yeah, yeah you do! Blah blah blah!"

"Hey! I said I didn't, Darren!" Riko began to laugh, shoving me playfully. "I don't, _bro_ ," she mocked. "Why do you say that, anyway? Is everyone your brother or something?"

"No, I don't even realize I say that… It's just normal for me to say that... "

"Bro, bro, bro! Hahahaa! Hey, bro!" Riko laughed out loud.

"Hey! Riko! Riko!" I couldn't help but laugh, shoving her back. We began shoving each other back and forth, ending up rolling all over the bed. After laughing so much, we finally stopped, exhausted. We breathed heavily, lying next to each other on the bed. Suddenly, I realized that we had just rolled around on the bed, touching each other. I think she realized it too, because she suddenly stood up and straightened out her skirt, adjusting her neck collar.

"Well, I think you should go back now," she said. "Chika must be wondering where you went. Go spend some time with your host-sister. Go on." She shooed me out of the room. Satisfied and tired, I left Riko's house. Sigh. I thought back to two nights ago, when I first saw Riko at Numazu station. I remembered when our eyes first met, under the glow of the streetlights. Did she think the same thing as she did when she met Howard? Did we have a "connection"? I shake these thoughts out of my head and go to bed. Gotta focus on getting that F to an A, you know.

* * *

 **Wow, Kanan really knows her stuff. She makes me so nervous acting all close and stuff. Well, I hope we will get close. Haha, also that episode with Riko and everything. Now that I think about it, it was pretty awesome. I'm just worried that Howard is so attractive to her, though. Please anticipate the next chapter!**

 ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****


	7. 7: Friday

7: Friday

A few days passed, and Friday was drawing to a close. Finally! I survived my first week of school! I was so exhausted from doing homework and studying until 1 AM every night. I barely managed to stay awake until the end of class today. We took a Japanese quiz today, and I actually managed to get a C! I'm so proud of myself! Like, in the past, I would have committed suicide over a C, but times have changed, ya know. I wouldn't have been able to do it if it wasn't for Kanan, and Yukio who literally helped me on every question we did in class. So when class ended today, I turned to Yukio and said, "Thanks, Yukio-san. I owe you so much! You helped a lot. Really, I can't thank you enough."

"Heh, it's no big deal, Darren-san. It's my duty to help my friends!" Yukio replied, brushing the hair out of her face. AHHHH SHE'S SO SWEET! AAHHHHHH!

"Well, I'll see you next week, okay?" I say and pick up my bag. As I stood up, I felt a soft hand on my forearm.

"Actually, Darren-san, I was wondering if you were free this weekend," Yukio said nervously, smiling. WHAT?

"Uhh- yeah of course I'm free! You want to go on a- go somewhere?" I stutter.

"Mmn. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me to the elementary school tomorrow. I volunteer there to help out the kids. We have a special program on Saturdays for the kids to learn extra English and tutoring. It's kinda sad though, since all of the volunteers aren't native speakers. You would be a really great help! I mean, it's okay if you don't want-"

"Okay I'm in!" I say. "I love helping children! I'll do anything you need."

"Wow- okay, thanks! Really, thank you Darren-san. I know you're still new and adjusting here, so it's probably troublesome for you to come. If you can't do it, just tell me, okay? I won't feel bad."

"No, no, I'm coming, Yukio. You can count on me!" I pat her on the shoulder.

"Oke! Where should I meet you? Chika's ryokan? That's where you live, right?"

"Yep. I'll meet you tomorrow morning. See ya!" I wave goodbye. My heart was racing this whole time, but I didn't realize it until I left the room. Wow, Yukio basically asked me out. Well, her program could do with some help… so I guess it's reasonable of her.

"So, what were you saying to Yukio?" You elbowed me, grinning.

"Oh, I'm going with her to the elementary school tomorrow," I say nonchalantly.

"WHAT?" Riko and Chika say in unison as they appear from behind me.

"What? It's not like a date or anything."

"Don't you know about that program?!" You said with a concerned expression.

"What?"

"It's the ultimate couples program," Riko explained. "It's been there for many years. Basically, since there were so little co-ed high schools, everyone in town would join the English Tutoring Program to find a partner. Apparently, it got a really bad reputation after multiple teenage pregnancies occurred. Since then, not many people have attended- those who do are all creeps probably looking for bang-bang, you know? It's scary!" Riko looked genuinely disturbed.

"Uhh… oh. Well, I can't let Yukio down. She's already helped me so much."

"So you're not gonna go out with Kanan? She helped you a lot too!" Chika said.

"Well, I will too! But later. I mean, the more the better, right?"

Chika and I arrived home.

"Ahhhh, finally! Time to relax!" I cheer, running over to the couch and sprawling on it.

"Hey, we have to use that for guests, too! Keep it clean!" Chika scolded.

"Well, it looks like you never have any guests except me," I remark.

"Ah, you're right." Chika sat down on the armrest and socked me in the shoulder. "Well, good job making it through your first week."

"Thanks, Chika-chan."

"CHAN? Wow, you really take it fast, don't you!?" Chika said exasperatedly.

"What? We've known each other for so long already! I mean, I live with you!"

"Well, yeah… but it's not like we're always with each other! Like we don't sleep in the SAME ROOM, or something like that!"

"Hey, now that you say it, I haven't been to your room before! Can I see it?"

"Umm… yeah sure." Chika stood up and headed for the stairs. I quickly got up and followed her. Wow, Chika's weird. Like sometimes she's so energetic and everything, and sometimes she's like tsundere. How odd.

I follow Chika into her room, and she propped the door WIDE OPEN. Okay.

"Well, here it is!" Chika announced. Her room was pretty cute, and there was still that muse' poster on the wall LOL. She had a TV in her room? Lucky.

"Hey, can I watch TV?" I said.

"Sure, go ahead." I turn on the TV. It's on the news. As expected, another North Korean missile launch. I swear, this world's ending soon. I just hope that it ends AFTER I finish my year here.

"Why are you watching that depressing stuff?" Chika said. "Want to watch a movie?"

"Sure. What do you have?" Chika pulled out a drawer of Blu-ray movies.

"Here." I browse the selection.

"Oh, 'Kimi no Na wa.' I love this movie! Let's watch it!"

"Oh, okay," Chika said. We watched the movie. We sat on the mat in front of the TV, and Chika brought a bunch of snacks from the complimentary snack tray. I know this is weird, but since she was sitting right next to me on the floor and everything I couldn't help but try and look up her skirt. I mean, come on, I just couldn't help it. It's not like I saw anything anyway. Well, I also couldn't resist glancing at her pretty face the whole time. Like during the romantic parts, I really wanted to just hold her hand like in the movies. I noticed she shed a tear at the super-emotional part and everything. Awww… Chika-chan… After the credits began scrolling down the screen, I felt her soft head on my shoulder. What?

At first, I didn't say anything, and just sat there. Then I made a bold move and reached over, putting my hand on her head. Surprisingly, she didn't flinch. We just sat there, illuminated by the glow of the television. Outside, it was dark already. I felt Chika's body rising and falling against me as she breathed.

GUUUUUUURRRRRGGGGGGGG! My stomach rumbled. All of a sudden, Chika sat up straight.

"What was that?!" she said.

"Oh, my stomach. Sorry. But that doesn't matter right now. Chika-chan, I-"

"CHAN again? Really?"

"Wait, but you just leaned against me for a full fifteen minutes!"

"Wait, what? Really?"

"NOOOOO! Did you fall asleep!?"

"Oh yeah, I probably did. Want to go eat dinner?"

"Uh. sure." Aw man, she just fell asleep! I thought it was so romantic and everything… sigh. We went over to the dining room, where Chika's family was ready to eat.

"Hi, Darren-san!" Chika's mom greeted.

"Hello! What delicious food do we have today?"

"Oh, nothing much. Just rice and pork."

"It's still great! Itadakimasu!" I dig into the delicious meal. "Wow, I wish I could eat this food everyday!"

"Why thank you, Darren-san! You're so nice! So, how's school?" Chika's mom asked.

"It's great! I'm having a wonderful time making new friends."

"Well, that's good. Is Chika treating you well?"

"Yep! She's absolutely lovely." LOL Chika looked so embarassed when I said that.

"Oh yeah," Chika blurted, "Darren's going on a date with someone tomorrow!"

"Really? That's nice," her mom replied.

"You know where he's going? THE ENGLISH TUTORING PROGRAM!" at this, her two sisters recoiled in shock.  
"The English Tutoring Program? Why?" Mito questioned.

"That's terrible!" Shima said, putting a hand to her mouth.

"Why does everyone say that? I don't think it'll be THAT bad. I mean, I'm going with a really nice person," I reply.

"Well, don't say I didn't warn you," Chika stated.

After dinner, I felt the weight of the week's lack of sleep. I gotta have energy tomorrow to meet Yukio! Time to go to sleep! As I lay on my futon, I wonder. What could be so bad about the tutoring thingy?

My eyes opened. I got up, and it was another beautiful morning. Time to get ready! I reached into my suitcase, which was not fully unpacked yet, and took out my polo shirt. Agh, wrinkly!

I go to Chika's room and knock on the door.

"Oy, Chika! Got an iron or something?" The door opened to reveal a bedhead Chika.

"Seriously? What are you doing? It's only six on a Saturday!" She muttered. Suddenly, her eyes opened wide when she looked down at my body. I was in my boxers!

"AHHH SORRY CHIKA!" I awkward stepped away, so she couldn't see me. "But I need the iron!"

"Uhh, sure…" Chika put her iron and board out in the hallway. I grab it and run back.

"Thanks Chika!" Well that sure was embarrassing. I carefully iron my clothes and give myself a check in the mirror. Pretty good, I would say. I grab my bag and prepare to leave- oh yeah, I forgot. Remember the mouth spray! *spray spray* "Ahhh." I'm ready.

I step outside into the crisp morning air. Hmm, I wonder when Yukio's gonna be here. I sit down on a random bench and watch the waves lap against the shore. I hear footsteps. Who could it be at this time of day? I look up to see You, jogging.

"Hey You!" I shout. She sees me and smiles, jogging over. Her face has beads of sweat on it, and a great smile as always. She was wearing athletic short shorts and everything. Nice figure, really.

"Ohayousoro! I see you're up early!" she cheered.

"Yep. Got that thing with Yukio!"

"OH, oh yeah. Be careful! Don't hang with the bad crowd, you know!" You sat down next to me, and even though she was sweaty and all, I still felt like scooting closer instead of away. Her cute locks shone in the morning sun, and her beautiful eyes searched my face. And man, her smile would take anyone's breath away.

"Yeah, I'll be careful. Don't worry, You. If I need help, you'll protect me, though!"

"That's right, Darren-chan! Count on me!" She gave me a big slap on the back and laughed out loud. A bicycle bell rang, and we turned to see Yukio, coming over on her pink bike.

"Yukio! Mornin'!"

"Good morning, Darren-san! You-chan!" Yukio stopped and got off the bike, bowing to us. I hastily stood up and returned the bow, but You just sat there.

"Hey Yukio!" You said. "Why do you go to that thing, anyway? Don't you know about its reputation and everything?"

"Well-yeah. You already told Darren? Well, the thing is, that's one of the reasons why I want Darren to come. I earnestly want to help the young kids, and having a capable teacher like Darren will really help. Maybe we can change the reputation, and with some time we'll have the greatest English program around!" Yukio said expressively.

"Wow. You're good," You remarked. "Yo Darren, she's good. Go for it, pal!" She jumped up and continued to run. "Have fun!"

"Wait, what? You! Ah, whatever. Bye!" I call after her. "H-hi, Yukio."

"You ready, Darren?! Let's go! Hop on my bike." Yukio was wearing a thin white knit sweater, with a white collared shirt underneath. She wore a black and red plaid skirt.

"Wait, will that even work? Me riding while you pedal?"

"Of course! Get on!" I climbed awkwardly onto the back of her bike, and she began to pedal. Slowly at first, then faster.

"You got it, Yukio-san?"

"Yep! Don't worry. Hold on!" As we rode down the street, I held on to her shoulders. Her long, luscious hair was blown by the wind, and kept getting in my face. It smelled like strawberries. Her shoulders were so soft and everything I just wanted to give her a big hug. It was one of the most beautiful twenty minutes of my life.

We finally arrived at the elementary school, which looked pretty old. There were cracks and overgrown plants, and the school yard's grass was all splotchy.

"Well, here we are!" Yukio announced and we got off the bike. Across the street, I could see parents coming to send their little kids off.

"Wow, so many cute little kids!" I remarked.

"Yeah, I know right! It's going to be great," Yukio said, a pretty smile on her face. Then I saw it-the other volunteers. Oh my gosh. There was like some dude with long bleached hair and piercings and everything. One of the girls wore one of those transparent shirts that show your bra and everything. Some guys actually looked quite normal, but I bet they're all desperate to get laid and don't care about school. Meh, it shouldn't be THAT bad. As I was about to turn around, I heard a voice.

"Well, that would be great!"

It could only be the voice of one person.

I see him. The shining blond head of Howard. And next to him?

Sakurauchi Riko.

* * *

 **Well, that was an interesting time, chillin' with Chika-chan. I'm so glad I survived my first week of school! But this English thing with Yukio. Wow, she asked me out! Wait- WAIT- WHY ARE _THEY_ HERE?**

 ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****


	8. 8: Saturday

8: Saturday

 **Refresher! I arrived at the elementary school where I was supposed to meet with Yukio for the English tutoring program. Apparently, Riko and Howard were there, too. Yesterday, Riko just said that the program was sketchy... and she's here now?**

* * *

"Sa-Sakurauchi Riko? Wh-what are you doing here?" I stutter.

"Ah, Darren-san…" Riko blushed, brushing back her hair. "Actually, Howard-san asked me if I wanted to join the English Tutoring Program. I think it'll be really great if he joins. He can really help out with his English skills." I didn't look at Howard, who was just standing there with his polite smile. "I-I'm sorry, Darren-san, about what I said about the program yesterday. I was just ignorant… I think it's actually really nice. You and Yukio-san made a great choice coming here."

"Uh… whatever you say, Riko-chan." Really? She said the program was sketchy but she still came because of Howard? Really? Suddenly, Howard cleared his throat.

"Ahem. Excuse me, sir, but I don't believe we have talked in person yet. I am Howard Roberts, from London. I look forward to working with you." He reached out his hand, and I shook it.

"Ehe- nice to meet you. I'm Darren." I force a smile. Ugh… I can never work up the courage to be mean to people I dislike. Lol I guess I'm too shy.

"And you are?" Howard said, bowing to Yukio and extending his hand. Yukio giggled and said, "Tsushima Yukio." She shook his hand.

"Uh, okay Yukio, since you're the veteran here, what are we going to do now?" I asked.

"Well, let's head inside. I need to introduce you three at the 'teacher meeting'." Yukio led us into the school, and up to the third floor, into a classroom. It had all these old wooden desks with carvings and paint spilled in colorful splotches. The legs were rusted metal. When we entered, a group of around twelve teenagers were hanging around.

"Ahem. Hello everyone! These are our new volunteers! I hope you'll work with them well!" Yukio announced. The other volunteers just looked, then went back to what they were doing. All of them were paired in couples, sitting in each others' laps or holding hands. Ugh, what is this place. "Hehe, they're usually like that, sorry…" Yukio said to us. After that, the volunteers split up into groups to teach their respective classes. There were a number of elementary school kids now, and they filed into the classrooms. As we walked down the hallway, I saw the volunteers pass out a stack of English worksheets and just sit down, speaking only to their partners. What lousy people.

"So, what class are we teaching?" I ask.

"Well," Yukio replied, "my class. I usually just teach the class alone, but you three can join me. Here." We stopped at Yukio's class, and entered. It was a catastrophe. The kids were just running around, screaming and shouting. "Hey! Class! Good morning!" The kids totally ignored her, continuing to run around. "Class! Please be good today! We have new teachers!"

At this, the kids quieted down and looked at the new arrivals with wide eyes.

"Ehhh? A foreigner!" One chubby boy cried out, pointing at Howard. Within seconds, the kids were swarming over him, touching his golden hair.

"Heh, hello everyone!" Howard said. The kids all cheered, amazed at his English. Yukio split the class in half, so we could help them out in smaller groups. Yukio and I were in one group, Riko and Howard were in the other.

"Awwwww… why do we have to get old Yukio and this weird guy? Why can't we be with Howard-sensei!?" The chubby boy said. He had one of those faces that were always red and sweaty.

"Yeah!" His friends agreed. "Howard-sensei and Riko-sensei are so cool. I don't want to be with Yukio the witch!" I got really triggered when the boys said that. Seriously WHAT THE F***. Why would anyone be so mean to precious Yukio? She's the nicest person ever. Why?

"HEY! Don't you dare talk to your teacher like that!" I shout. The room falls silent.

"Ahem, Darren?" Howard said from the other side of the classroom. "Please don't be so hard on the children, please. Thank you." That made me angrier. Bruh, like seriously? These kids need to be disciplined. How could they have the nerves to insult my partner like that?

"Yukio-san, don't worry about it. You're not a witch, trust me!"

"Oh, no, it's nothing! I get it all the time," Yukio replied, smiling. "Alright kids, quiet down. Do your work, and ask Darren-sensei if you need help!" The kids began to do their work. I walked around, checking on their progress. I got to the chubby boy, and saw that he was doodling random pictures.

"Hey, can you please do the work?" I try to ask nicely.

"Who are you to tell me what to do? Your Japanese is so bad!" the boy replied. Wow, that didn't make me feel any good. I was about to tell him how trash his English was, but decided that revenge wasn't the best policy. "Hey, Yukio-san. How do you make hamburger-boy do his work?"

"Oh, Yasuda-kun? He never does his work. It's okay," Yukio said. "You can't really do anything about it."

"Really? But he's SO ANNOYING. I just wanna teach him a lesson, you know."

"Don't worry about it! Here, I'll watch the boys. You can go with the girls, if you want."

Yes, the girls! They were so well behaved and all. One girl, with a ponytail and a cute pink scrunchy, asked me for help.

"Darren-sensei, how do you say this?"

"Uh, 'I went to school today'."

"I- went to school- today."

"Yeah! Good job!" I pat the girl on the head, and all her friends started giggling.

"Darren-sensei is so cute!" They said. "Come help me! Help me!" All the girls started asking me for help, and they crowded around me. Yay! I'm actually loved!

"Darren-sensei!" one of the girls asked, "What is it like in America? Do you have a gun? A big car?"

"Do you eat burgers everyday?"

"No, no… I don't have a gun, I don't have a car, and I don't eat burgers everyday," I said. "It's really not that amazing. I think it's very amazing here!"

"Really, Darren-sensei? It's so boring here. I wish I could go to America!"

"Hey, Darren-sensei!" The girl with the ponytail said, bringing the group to a whisper. "Do you like Yukio-sensei?"

I didn't know how to reply. "Uh... no…. We're just friends…"

"Oh, really? You sure about that?" the girl said, and all of them started giggling again.

"Darren and Yukio-sensei! Darren and Yukio-sensei!" They chanted.

"Hey, quiet down! She'll hear!" I warn.

"Having fun there, Darren-san?" Yukio asked, walking over with her warm smile.

"Uh, yeah! A lot of fun!" I stutter. The girls were all laughing, clinging on to me. I smiled. Cute kids can really brighten your day.

"Darren-san, can you come with me to the supply room? I need to get some paints," Yukio said.

"Sure!" I follow Yukio to the supply room.

"Wow, you sure know how to deal with the girls!" Yukio remarked.

"No, not really… I didn't do much! I guess they just like me."

"Heh, you don't seem too good with the boys, though."

"Yeah, annoying kids get on my nerves. I like cute ones. Anyway, I saw the other teachers. They're literally not teaching the kids at all!"

"Yes, I know. But it's not like they'll do it if I tell them too. Here, take this box." Yukio handed me a box of supplies, and when I reached out to take it, I accidentally put my hands on hers! We both recoiled in surprise, dropping the box on the floor.

"Ahhh!" The paints spilled out, covering us with paint. It was not good.

"Da-Darren-san, that's acrylic paint! I don't think it'll wash off!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Yukio-san!" I blurt, bowing fifteen times. Paint dripped from our bodies. No, no, no! I wore my only polo for this occasion! And what's worse, Yukio's beautiful outfit was ruined. I was so sorry. "Yukio-san! I'll take you out to buy new clothes! I promise!"

"No, no, it's all good, Darren-san. Don't worry about it!"

"No, I'm sorry Yukio! I ruined everything!"

"Hey, hey, it's no big deal. We'll just bring the rest to the kids." We picked up the remaining paints and headed back to the classroom. When we approached the door, the ponytail girl was waiting outside.

"Darren-sensei! Yukio-sensei! Come look!" She cheered, jumping up and down.

"What is it, Kimiko-chan?" Yukio asked sweetly.

"Just come!" Kimiko pulled onto our hands and led us into the classroom. When we entered, we were greeted by a storm of laughter. On the blackboard was a drawing of me and Yukio, KISSING. Words above said DARREN AND YUKIO-SENSEI and bunch of hearts.

"Uhhhh…." We just stood there, drenched in paint. The kids laughed and pointed at us.

"Uh… Riko-chan? What happened?" I ask, turning to Riko and Howard, who were giggling along with the kids. "Why didn't you tell them to stop?"

"Uh…well, I thought it was kinda funny!" Riko said, smiling. "Heh… Heh…"

"I'm sorry 'bout that," Howard grinned.

"Hey…"

"Hey, let it go, Darren-san. It's just a joke!" Yukio laughed, setting down the box of paints.

"What happened to you guys!" Riko asked, a concerned expression on her face.

"Oh, we had a little accident."

"How are you going to get home in those clothes?

"I dunno. It's fine," I said. We managed to get through the rest of class drenched in paint. After class, we followed Yukio to send the kids off. Apparently, Yukio was the only teacher who did so. The other volunteers just left or ran off with each other. The four of us stood at the gates, waving bye to the little kids. I noticed that the kids in our class were the only ones smiling.

I felt a tap on my arm. It was the little girl, Kimiko.

"Ah, Darren-sensei?"

"Yes, Kimiko-chan?"

"Sowwy… for… that," she said in English.

"Hmm? Sorry for what?"

"Earlier…" she made a heart shape with her hands and goggled at Yukio. "Heehee!" She laughed. "Bai-bai!" She ran off, gripping both backpack straps, her ponytail flying in the wind.

Riko turned and said, "Yukio, Darren! You two really should get washed up! We'll take care of this from here!"

"Well, I don't think there's a shower in the elementary school," I say.

"Don't worry, Darren-san! Come!" Yukio motioned for me to follow her. We walked to the back of the school, and out past a rusted gate. We emerged on an overgrown dirt path, lined with trees. It curved down a slope, and the beach awaited us at the end. I could see the ocean stretch forever.

"Come on!" Yukio began running down the path, and I chased after her, heart racing. We stopped on the wet shore, catching our breath. I had taken of my shoes, and felt the moist sand beneath my toes. I turn to Yukio, whose hair was all messed up from running.

"Uh. So, how are we going to do this?" I ask awkwardly.

"Eh? Well…" Yukio nervously fingered her collar.

I feel my heart thump in my chest.

"Well… I mean… no one's around… so…" she stuttered. I shifted left to right.

"S-so?" My face was like a flaming hot Cheeto.

I couldn't help but stare.

"Um." Yukio began undoing her buttons.

This can't be happening. I didn't know what I was thinking, but I ran up and wrapped my arms around Yukio, lifting her into the air.

"Ahhh! Darren! What are you doing?!" Yukio cried, arms clinging to my neck. I waded as fast as I could, through the sand and into the water, plunging us in. We were immersed in the sea, and I felt her body against mine.

Our heads resurfaced, and we gasped for air.

"Darren? What was that for?"

"I don't know… But you were about to… take off your shirt… so… I dunno… I couldn't violate you like that!"

"Well- oh-kay…" Yukio smiled. "Wow, Darren… you're so ethical…"

"Heh heh. Not really… I mean… I would normally want to see, 'cause I'm a guy and everything. But… it's you, Yukio-san… so…"

"So you're saying I'm not pretty enough?"

"No! It's because you're pretty! That's why!"

"Huh? Hahaha, I don't get you, Darren-san! Hahaha!" Yukio giggled, poking my cheeks. "You're such a weirdo," she laughed.

"Hey!" I splash a wave of water onto her face.

"Hey! Darren!" Yukio retaliated, attacking me with splash after splash.

The two of us laughed and laughed, drenching each other again and again.

Finally, we were all drained out.

Panting, Yukio said, "I think we should get back now. It's getting dark." Clouds had settled in, and the sun was a broad orange stretch across the horizon. As we left the water, I shivered as a cool breeze blew across the waves. "It's getting chilly, no? Fall's coming," Yukio remarked.

"Yeah," I replied. I looked over at Yukio- then my eyes shot wide open. I could see through. Her shirt. It was blue.

"What are you looking at?!" *SLAP*.

* * *

 **What a great day it was. Man, some interesting things happened with Yukio. But I can't get my hopes up. There's still a lot of days in the year. And a lot of girls.**

 ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****


	9. 9: Why?

9:Why?

I remember Jenny as clear as day. Her beautiful eyes, her beautiful smile. She was the first female friend I ever had. Why did it have to end that way?

It was two years ago, during my freshman year. Previously, I had been one of those guys who only hung out with other guys. Everything changed when I entered high school.

My eyes were opened on that first day.

She had just transferred from another school district, so no one knew her. I saw her sitting by herself at lunch, so I decided to sit with her. She was a nice girl, Jenny. I usually didn't pay much attention to girls, but I just felt so bad for her, sitting alone and all. So, I sat with her everyday, because my old friends didn't want to sit with a girl that probably didn't play the video games we played. I talked to her about school, her hobbies, and our dreams. She said that she loved learning languages, and wished that one day, she could go to school in Japan.

"But it's not like I'll ever go," she said. "Mom and Dad would never agree. Besides, I don't have money. Mom and Dad are always fighting about money." Then she frowned, eyes downcast.

"Hey," I said, "you're not the only one. It's the same here. But we can hope, can't we?" I patted her on the shoulder, and she smiled.

"Yeah. If one of us manages to make it someday, we have to be sure to tell each other. But it'll be great if we could both go," she said.

"Definitely," I responded.

If only she could see where I was now.

One day, during lunch, I couldn't find her.

"Hey, why aren't you sitting with your girlfriend?" my friend asked me.

"W-where is she? Jenny." My friend pointed over at the lunch tables, where Jenny was seated- with a group of other kids. I walked over.

"Jenny?" She made eye contact, then glanced away, continuing to talk and laugh with her friends. I just stood there, not knowing what to say. Why was she ignoring me? What did I do wrong? Why is she with all these random people? Wasn't she my friend? I was the one who approached her when she was all alone. What happened to all the times we had? What happened to our dream?

After I stood there for a while, one of her friends flipped her hair and glared at me.

"Excuse me, sir, but can you stop being such a ****ing creep? Stop bothering Jenny and leave her alone! Like, go back to your ****ing nerd friends!" she shouted aloud, and everyone started laughing. Jenny included.

Hurt, I returned to my old friends. Why? Where did I go wrong?

After school, I saw her packing up her bag. I approached her.

"Jenny! You're joking, right? You're my friend, right?"

She ignored me, zipping up her backpack.

"Jenny. Jenny." I began tapping her on the shoulder.

She ignored me, walking out of the classroom. I followed her.

"Jenny! Tell me what's wrong! Tell me what I did! Please! Please, just tell me what I did! I don't know what I did, it's the truth! I'm sorry for whatever I did!" I place my hand on her shoulder.

"Jenny! What happened to our friendship? Remember? How we wish to go to Japan? What happened to our dream?!"

"F*** off!" Jenny shouted, pushing my hand off. "Our dream? YOUR dream."

I didn't know what to say. I stood there, tears welling up in my eyes.

"Jenny- why did it have to be this way? Was it because you didn't want to be made fun of for being with me?"

"Well that- and many things. It's just, it just doesn't work out, okay? The two of us."

"What? Jenny! But-but I never said anything about that. I never said we were together!"

"I-I know! It's just that- I loved you, Darren!" she screamed. Taken aback, I was in silence. Then I said, "Then why are you leaving me!? Cuz guess what, I loved you too, Jenny!"

"I- I know that, Darren! That's why! I just- I just can't, okay? I knew we loved each other. But I don't want to lose you, Darren! I didn't want to go too far! I didn't want to scare you!"

"Scare me? Scare me? Why would you scare me? It was I who didn't want to scare you! That's why I kept my feelings a secret. I didn't know if you would be happy if I told you I loved you!"

"You know what? I don't care anymore, Darren! It's not like- it's not like I ever asked you to sit with me in the beginning. So, goodbye."

And she left. She just left. Just like that, she was gone from my life.

Why? I don't understand why. Why do some people have to be so illogical? Could she have just told me her feelings, instead of hiding them? Why did she have to leave me in that way? Was it because she was scared to tell me straight up? Why? It's worse if she just ditched me without a word. I just don't get girls sometimes. That's why I'm definitely not going to make the same mistakes again. It's not worth it getting a girlfriend. It's better just to have fun with girls. But I don't want to get too close. I can't take that pain again. But _why?_ What happened to our dream?

"DARREN-SAN!" Yamamoto-sensei shouted. "Answer the question!"

"Wh-what?" I looked around, puzzled.

"It's 1954," Yukio whispered from next to me.

"Uh-uh, 1954!"

"Correct. You better pay attention, mister. You're already failing class as it is."

"Uh, yes, sensei." OH, come on. I just got humiliated in front of the whole class.

"Hey, Darren. Stay awake," Yukio said, smiling. I felt so embarrassed. I tried to pay attention during the rest of class, but I couldn't stop glancing at Yukio for about forty times. She was so beautiful, the way her hair was combed; the pink tint of her cheeks. Her eyes darted to meet mine, and I quickly snapped away. Yo, what am I doing?

When class eneded, I quickly got up and said bye to Yukio. I couldn't help thinking about Saturday. The way we spilled paint on ourselves. The way we played in the ocean. LOL when I saw through her shirt.

I saw Riko and Howard walking with each other down the hall. I ran up to meet them.

"Hey, guys," I said.

"Oh, hi Darren-san!" Riko said. Howard nodded. "Why aren't you with Yukio?" Riko asked.

"What? Why should I be? Lol, what? You think she's my girlfriend or something?"

"No… well…"

"Hey." I cut her off. "So just because we had fun means we're together? That doesn't mean anything. For all I know, _you_ could be my girlfriend, Riko! After all, we did _have fun_ with each other, rolling around on the bed and all."

"Wh- what? What are you talking about?" Riko stuttered.

"What is this, now?" Robert asked, a disturbed expression on his face. Oh no, why did I say that. I'm just too salty. I shouldn't have harmed Riko's image just because I wasn't happy.

"Oh, it was nothing," I said. "I was just kidding. See ya." I turn and quickly leave them. Ugh.

"Hey, Darren!" Kent called.

"Yo, what's up."

"Wanna come to my house?"

"Really? Where is it, Mari's?"

"LOL nope. The exchange program picks your homestay, right? So of course I didn't get to stay at Mari's. Not like I want to, anyway." Kent brushed his hair back, which was partially bleached. He was like a wannabe cool kid or something.

"Sure."

I followed Kent, after telling Chika where I was going. Kent's house was in the other direction compared to Chika's house. We walked down the seaside street, playing the "1-10" game, rating the swarm of girls that were about us.

"Hey, you ever got a girlfriend?" Kent blurted.

"Well, sort of. I dunno. It was just awkward. Like, I think I did, but like not officially."

"What's that supposed to mean, man? You mean like, a friend with benefits or somethin' like that?"

"No, no. It was just awkward. I don't wanna talk abou it."

"Whatever man," Kent replied. "Look. There's my house." It was just another house, like any other. We entered the door.

"Yo, wassup." Sitting at the table was a guy, who looked pretty cool. He had the shag hair and everything, and the dress shirt and sweater thing.

"Hey Takeda. I brought my friend Darren," Kent said.

"Hey Darren," Takeda said.

"Uh, hey," I replied. Takeda was just sitting there, a can of Sapporo beer in hand.

"He's Takeda, my host-dude," Kent said. "He goes to college, and lives here by himself. Before I came, of course." I followed Kent to his room, which was filled with wall scrolls, figurines, and body pillows. "And guess what. That guy knows how to party."

"Like how?" I ask.

"You should see. He sometimes comes home in the morning, all wasted and s***. He goes partying and probably gets laid all the time. You should see!"

"Really? How do you know?"

"Check him out on Line, dude. He's always with some new chick."

"Oh. That's nice," I say and sit down.

"Bro, why are you so lucky?" Kent asked.

"How am I lucky?"

"All the girls are so nice to you and everything. I try to be smooth and all, but they all think I'm weird. You like do nothing and everyone likes you. It's not fair."

"Lol what are you talking about?"

"Yeah. I mean, even that Yukio chick. She's always 'Oh, Darren-san' this and 'Oh, Darren-san' that! Next thing you know it'll be 'Oh, Darren-san! Let's get married baby!'"

"What the heck?! Lol I don't even like her. What are you talking about?"

"Yeah, yeah. Everyone knows already."

"Wait what?"

"Just kidding, bro! I just wish I could make some friends during this year. You know what I'm saying?" Kent said expressively.

"Uh, yeah. A lot of us just 'want to make friends'. It's not that easy, you know? You can't know if they're 'just your friend' or not. It's weird." My heart lurched when I said that.

"What are you talking about? I just want a friend here that appreciates me. That's a girl, of course."

"Okay. Good luck." I fall back onto the floor. Sigh. I was thinking of Jenny when I was talking. Why am I being worried about the past? I'm here, living my dream. I should be happy right now.

"Hey, I've got an idea!" Kent said suddenly. "Come!" He left the room, and I followed him, confused. Takeda emerged from a hallway, dressed in a sports coat and ironed pants and everything.

"Hey, Takeda," Kent said. "Mind if we come with you tonight?"

"HAHAHA what, tryin' to get laid or somethin'? Come on, you got the entire high school to yourselves!" Takeda laughed. Kent and I looked at each other and shook our heads, both thinking about Howard at the same time.

"Come on, they're all hard to get. I need some easy ones," Kent said.

"Yeah, whatever, you guys can come. Just don't get caught being underage," he said. "Come on, get in the car." Takeda whipped out his keys and went to the garage, where a very nice sports car was waiting.

"Dang…" Kent said. "I finally get to ride in this…"

We entered the car, and I buckled up. The seats were black leather, and the outside of the car was black with orange designs. As the engines roared to life, orange colored headlights illuminated the garage.

"Aw, yeah!" Kent cheered. "This is gonna be lit!"

"Ya better keep up, boys!" Takeda called, and zoomed away into the afternoon. I wondered what Chika was doing right then. What about Riko? Yukio? You? Ah, what was I doing? Some weird college party? I had no place going to one of those. Eh, whatever.

When we got to our destination, night had just fallen. Apparently, the party was at this super big mansion on a hill. We could hear loud music a mile away. As we pulled into the very, very long driveway, Takeda slowed down, rolling down the windows. He was just flashing his car and everything. A bunch of girls walked by, laughing and admiring the car. They were all carrying red cups and had dyed light brown hair and makeup and everything.

"Oh my, this is the real deal, bro!" Kent said, excitedly gaping at the girls. We parked and got out of the car.

"Hey, nice ride, boys," a girl called, slowly approaching with her friends.

"Yeah. Can take you girls for a ride, if ya want," Takeda replied cooly. "You know. Whatever type of 'ride' you prefer." The girls began giggling.

"Yo, this guy is slick," Kent whispered sharply. "No wonder he gets it every night!"

Seriously, what was I doing here? I should be home right now, maybe eating dinner with my host family. Why am I like at some random college party? Ah, Screw it. I join in with Kent, ogling at the view.

* * *

 **Well, here I am. Wow, I shouldn't have exposed Riko like that. Agh, why are my memories tormenting me? Okay whatever. I'll just enjoy the party, and see what happens.**

 ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****


	10. 10: Red Cups Red Hearts

10: Red Cups Red Hearts

 **Refresher! So, I went to Kent's house after school, where I met his host-dude, Takeda. Kent and I arrived at a college party after Takeda agreed to take us.**

* * *

"Wow, this place is huge!" Kent remarked as we walked through the open chambers of the mansion. The place was brightly lit, and bustling with activity. College kids swarmed the marble tiles and hung around the velvet seats. Everywhere in sight, red party cups could be seen. "Dude, this is lit!"

"Yeah," I reply. I found myself gaping at the numerous females around us.

"Enjoying yourselves?" Takeda said, coming over from a group of friends.

"Yeah… except how are we gonna get in on the fun?" Kent replied.

"It's simple. You just gotta talk to them. Ya know, fool around a little. It's a little easier if you're buzzed, too," Takeda said nonchalantly. "Well, gotta go! Have fun!" He hastily returned to his group of party people.

"Ugh, this is kinda hard," I say. "I don't think anyone would care about a bunch of high school dorks like us. Let's find some free food!"

"Yeah… sounds like a plan." Kent and I made our way to the massive kitchen, where an amazing plethora of foods were displayed. Macarons, cake, chips, you name it. I heaped ten different flavors of Lays onto my plastic plate and five of those circle-shaped brownies.

"Yo, check it out," Kent said, pointing to an arrangement of colorful punch bowls.

"Hey man, you sure?"

"Of course. It's just punch!" Kent went over and mixed like six different punches into his cup.

"Ah, whatever," I say, pouring myself a cup. We sat down at a corner of one of the living rooms, and began to munch on our snacks. Not knowing what else to talk about, we just ended up playing games on our phones.

"Yo man, this is kinda boring," Kent said. "I gotta go pee."

"Well go find a bathroom."

"Kay." Kent got up and went to look for a bathroom. I sat there, continuing to play on my phone. All of a sudden, someone approached me.

"Hey, mind if I join you?"

I looked up, and was dumbfounded. It was a hot college chick, and her skirt was so short I could almost see up it where I was sitting.

"Uh-uh sure! Sit down!" I stutter. She smiled and plopped down next to me, flipping her dyed brown hair. I could smell her strong perfume, and she was wearing one of those off-shoulder thingies.

"You here alone?" she said, in a sweet-honey voice.

"Er-yeah!"

"Well, that's okay. You can hang with me," she said, reaching out and putting a hand on my neck. "Name's Yui. I'm a comsci major. You?"

"Uhh- Darren. I- I'm a comsci major too!" I lie.

"Really? How come I never see you? Wow, I feel so bad. You must be in so many of my classes, but I just never saw you! Hey. We should hang out more."

"Uh, yeah!"

"Did you finish the project yet? It's soooooo hard!"

"Um, yup!"

"Really? Wow, you must be smart! You like, one of those child coders or something?"

To be honest, I was terrible at computers.

"Well, kind of. Yeah."

"That's cool! What year are you?"

"Umm, freshman. Yeah."

"Aww, you're younger than me? I'm a sophomore."

"Well, I guess I should call you senpai," I say, super-nervous.

"Oh, there's no need. Heheh, you're cute," Yui remarked, patting me on the head.

"Th-thanks."

"Hey. Come here," Yui said, pulling me to my feet. She led me past the hallways and up a flight of stairs. I was feeling drunk. She opened a door, and we entered into a large room with a large bed covered in red sheets. The room smelled like cinnamon.

"Hey, what are we doing?" I ask.

"Nothing. Look," Yui said, opening a door to a balcony. We went out, taking in the view. The night was beautiful, and we looked down on the city lights below. The sea glistened in the moonlight. I turned to look at Yui. Her fair features were soft in the moonlight. My heart began to beat really fast.

"Hey, Yui. You're- pretty." My face was very hot, either because I was drunk or nervous.

"H-huh? Oh, thanks," Yui smiled. "Hey. We should hang out more. I like you. We should get to know each other more." She laughed. "You want something to drink?"

"S-sure." We went back in, and Yui pulled out a bottle of sake from a drawer. "You live here?" I ask.

"Oh, yeah. This house belongs to the Alpha Kappa Delta."

"Really? Wow, this Alpha Beta blah blah blah thing must be rich!"

"Well, not really… here, have some sake."

We drank a lot of sake.

"Ahhhhh…." I say, flopping on the bed. I wonder where Kent went. Ugh, I can't think clearly.

"Say, Yui…" I mumble. "Want to get married?"

"Re-really? Aww, Darren-chhhhyan. Heyyyy… we shullld." Yui laid down next to me, and I felt her breath in my face. "

"I wunder what Kent is doooingg…" I say.

"Who's Kent? Hey. Hey." I felt Yui's face come close to mine. Very close. She wrapped her arm around me, and suddenly pulled herself atop me. I felt her weight push down on my body, and I broke out sweating. Is this really happening? She leaned down, her hair falling into my face, and kissed my forehead. "My baby Darrennnn…"

I reached up and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her closer.

I felt her straddle me tighter.

My heart beating a million times a second, I slowly moved my lips to meet hers. As our faces drew closer and closer, I felt sweat pouring down like buckets. Seriously, this was happening.

BOOM! The door burst open.

Before our lips touched, we suddenly looked up.

Standing at the doorway was Takami Chika, breathing heavily.

"Darren-chan!" She shouted.

"Ch-Chika-chan?" I said, dumbfounded.

"Who's that?" Yui said, annoyed.

Chika ran over and began prying Yui off me.  
"Darren-chan! You know better than this! Don't touch my Darren-chan!" Chika shouted, managing to push Yui off me. I sat up.

"Chika, what are you doing here?" I questioned.

"I knew something was up when you said you were going over to Kent's," she replied. I figured you must be going partying or something. So I knew you were here. My sis drove me here. Everyone knows about this party. Things like _this_ always happen. Come on, you're going home," Chika berated.

"Wh-what? Awwwww, I was just having fun! I don't wannaaaa go homeee…." I was still drunk.

"Excuse me? Who are you? His b****?" Yui spat. Ignoring her, Chika grabbed the bottle of sake and dumped it on my face.

"Ahhhghh! What was that?!" I shout.

"Sober up! Come on!" Chika yanked me to my feet and pulled me outside. "Mito's waiting in the car."

"Really? Why did you come for me, Chika? Is this really your business?"

"Of course it's my business. You're my host-brother, no? I'm responsible for you."

"Wow, you really care for me?"

"Of course I care about you, Darren." Chika stopped in her tracks. We were near the driveway, where Mito was waiting in a car. "Of course I care about you."

Chika hugged me.

"Chika-chan…"

"I was so worried when you didn't come home before dark," she mumbled, face buried in my chest.

"Chika…" I wrap my arms around her. "...I 'm sorry."

"Please, don't do that again… I don't want you hanging around with these people. It's so creepy," she said. "Hey, if you're lonely, you can always talk to me, you know. You don't need to go partying and get drunk to have fun, you know. "

"Yeah… I'm sorry." We entered the car, and drove home. Chika and I sat in the back seats, and she leaned on me the whole way back.

Sigh, what was I doing with my life. She literally caught me about to do it with some random hoe that I just met for less than fifteen minutes. How stupid could I be? Urgggh. Man, I feel so bad.

When we got home, I took a quick shower and put on my pjs. Ah, whatever. What happened happened. Just gotta move on. As I reach to turn out the light, there was a knock on my door.

"Darren?" It was Chika's voice.

I opened the door.

"Chika? What is it?"

"You can sleep in my room, if you want."

"R-really?"

"Yeah." Chika led me to her room, and shut the lights. "Here." She laid down, and beckoned me over. I laid down next to her.

"Sorry, Chika," I whisper.

"No, it's fine," she replied. "It's all good, Darren-CHAN!" Chika laughed, socking me in the arm.

"Wow. It's a little early for chan, isn't it?" I teased.

"Hey! You called me chan first!" Chika replied. We began giggling and all. All of a sudden, we heard footsteps.

I put a hand over Chika's mouth. "Shhhhhhhhhh…"

The footsteps passed by the hallway. Chika held her breath, trying not to burst into laughter. When the footsteps died, I released my hand. We continued whisper-giggling.

"Woah, that was close!" Chika whispered.

"Lol, I know right!"

"Hey, Darren-chan."

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad you came into my life."

"As am I."

We hugged each other for the longest time.

After a while, Chika was asleep.

I couldn't sleep, so I took out my phone. Unread messages from Yukio? Four hours ago? I opened the message.

"Darren-kun? Hi! I had a great time with you on Saturday, and I was wondering if you wanted to come over and meet my family tonight! My parents are only going to be here for tonight, so you should come meet them!"

No. It was already so late, she would probably be asleep. I felt my heart twist into a knot.

* * *

 **I don't know what to feel.**

 ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****


	11. 11: Fading Summer

11\. Fading Summer

My eyes opened.

"Wake up, Darren-chan. Wake up." Chika stood over me, nudging my shoulder.

"Ahh, good morning," I yawned. Chika smiled and patted me on the head.

"Time for school!"

I got up and went over to my room to get dressed. Wow. I just slept in the same bed as Chika. Halfway across the hallway, I suddenly felt a huge weight on my chest. No. The text from Yukio. What was I going to tell her? I became overcome with worry. She must have been waiting for a reply for so long and everything, and never got one. She must feel so disappointed… I remember after my falling out with Jenny, I used to text her in an attempt to get things fixed. She just read my texts but never replied to them. You know how that feels? Ahh, I won't reply to her right now; I'll just tell her in person since I'm going to school anyway.

After we ate breakfast, Chika, You, Riko and I walked to school.

"Why are you looking so down?" You asked, popping in front of me.

"I am?"

"Yeah, I noticed it too," Riko said.

"Darren-chan, what's wrong?' Chika asked.

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong."

"Does it- have something to do with Yukio-san?" Riko asked apprehensively.

"Um. No," I said. How did she know?

"You don't sound too sure," Riko said.

"I'm fine, I'm fine."

When we got to class, Riko suddenly pulled me by the arm and led me down the hall, to the stairwell.

"Darren."

"Y-yes, Riko?" Riko put her hands behind her back, looking at me with those beautiful eyes of hers.

"Darren-san, are you sure you're okay? If it's about Yukio, I can talk to her. Just tell me what to do," she said, putting a hand on my arm.

"Of course I'm okay. It's not even a big deal, anyway. I'm good."

"Okay, suit yourself. Just remember that you can always talk to me, okay?" Ahhhh Riko is so sweet.

"Yeah, thanks, Riko. Oh yeah, what's with the accessories today?" Apparently, Riko had on a new hair clip, one with a pink bow tie and all.

"Oh, you like it?" Riko smiled, tapping her hair clip.

"Yeah, it's really cute. Tryin' to impress Howard or something?"

"Eh? Uhhhh… not really… Oh yeah, it's his birthday this Saturday, so I have to buy him a gift! Hey, Darren-san. I was wondering if you wanted to go shopping with me for his gift. You know, since you're a guy and all, you'd probably know what he likes." Riko grabbed my shoulder, looking right into my eyes. How could I say no? I mean, eww, shopping for Howard? But I'll be with Riko, so…

"Yeah, okay," I said.

"Yes! Aww, thanks Darren. You're a real bro." She punched me on the arm and turned away, skipping back to class. After she left, my heart began to beat rapidly. Time for class. Time to see Yukio. I followed Riko-chan back to class and approached my seat in the back.

"Morning, Darren-san!" Yukio's clear voice called.

"Uh-morning, Yukio-san." She must be sad. "Um. Sorry!" I suddenly bowed like ninety degrees to her.

"What. The heck," Kent remarked, as he took a seat. "Yo, Where'd you go last night, Darren? You chickened out? You should've seen all the girls I partied with!" He took out his phone, on which his wallpaper was a picture of him and some random hoe drinking. "You shoulda stayed till the end! It was so lit!"

Really? Kent just completely revealed me.

"Yukio! I'm sorry! I wasn't doing anything bad, I promise! I just decided to go with Kent and all, and I forgot to check my phone! Please forgive me, Yukio-san!"

Yukio smiled. "Oh? No, there's no need to apologize. It's all good. It's just that my parents came last night, and I wanted you to meet them. But it's not important. I wouldn't want to barge in on your fun, anyway."

"No, no, I would much rather have gone over to your house. I really would. Trust me, I'll make it up to you, Yukio!"

"You don't need to. Besides, you can come over anytime! I live alone, anyway, so I'll enjoy the company!" Yukio smiled her sunny smile. She was gorgeous.

"Come on, Darren! Why are you so lucky?! She just lets you over, just like that?" Kent said.

"Bro, you're the one who got action last night!"

"Nah, man, it was just drinking! What, you think I lost IT or something?"

"Oh. LOL," I remarked.

"Hey, you can come over today, if you want," Yukio said.

"Well… actually…" I'd already made that "date" with Riko. "Actually, I'm going shopping with Riko today."

"Oh… that's fine, then."

"It's not what you think it is. We're buying a gift for Howard."

"Really? How sweet! Well, have fun!" Ahhhh Yukio is like the complete opposite of her cousin. Like wow.

Anyway, today during History we had to pair up to do this giant packet of questions. Naturally, I partnered with Yukio, and I scooted my desk so that it touched hers. We began to search through the textbook, but most of the time it was Yukio doing the work, cause I suck at reading, as you know. The whole time, I was sitting so close to Yukio that I just wanted to lean on her shoulder. As we searched through the book, our heads leaned in very close to each other and her hair kept brushing my hand and everything; I was so nervous. Everytime she found an answer, she would get all excited and pat my hand, then point at the place in the textbook. It was so cute! When we finally finished the packet, she gave me a huge high-five and everything. Sighhhhhhhhh.

After class, I saw Riko say "Byeeeeeeeee!" to darn Howard like a little girl and everything. Yuck. Then she came bounding over to me. "Darren-san!" she said giddily, bopping me on the nose.

"H-hey, Riko," I said.

"Hi Yukio!" Riko waved. "Sorry about taking Darren from you for a while!"

"Oh, no, it's fine! We're all friends," Yukio replied.

Suddenly, Kent barged in and asked, "Hey, Yukio! Since you want company, want to walk home with me?"

We all just looked awkwardly at each other in silence.

"Yeah, sure," Yukio finally replied. Wow, she actually accepted to walk home with Kent? Wow. Anyway, Riko and I walked over to the bus stop that would take us to Numazu.

"Well, what do you think Howard likes?" I ask her.

"I dunno. I was thinking of a dress shirt? Or maybe a watch. A laptop?" Riko pondered. "What do you think he likes?"

"I don't know! _I'm_ not his boyfriend!"

"Hey! When did I say he was my boyfriend?"

"Well, you basically are."

"What? No, I'm not. We're just friends, Howard and I."

"If you say so." The bus arrived, and we got on. There were other schoolkids who were also making their way to Numazu. The girls all stared at me as I sat down with Riko. As we rode, one of the girls sitting in front of us turned around and looked over the seat.

"Ah, excuse me, but are you one of the transfer students?"

"Yup. That's me," I replied.

"Wow, you're so cool," she said.

"Th-thanks!" I reply, flustered.

"Sakurauchi-san, you're so blessed!" the girl said to Riko.

"Wh-what? Why?" Riko questioned, getting all defensive.

"Eh? Why, you have Darren-san, of course!"

"He's not my boyfriend, if that's what you're thinking," Riko explained.

"Oh. Well, you two look great together!" She smiled, giving us a huge thumbs up and sitting back down.

"Hey, don't get any ideas, Darren," Riko said, socking me in the arm.

"Don't worry, I won't," I replied, patting her on the head. We got off at Numazu, in front of a huge shopping mall.

"Here's where we are gonna shop!" Riko announced, grabbing her bag and jumping out the bus. Man, was she energetic. Nothing like that shy, formal girl I met on day one. I caught up to her, and we entered the mall. It was super high tech, with white floors, walls, and had a crisscross of escalators crowded with hip-shoppers.

"Where should we start?" I asked.

"Um… maybe some clothes?" Riko pointed to a clothes store. We entered, and went over to the men's section. She began running all over, grabbing a huge pile of different shirts. "Here, try all of these."

If there's one thing I hate, it's trying on clothes.

We spent a long time, with me trying on each shirt and going out to let Riko see. Shirt after shirt was rejected.

"Hey, don't you think that I'm not qualified to be a model of Howard? Like, he's super 'hot' and everything. So...maybe that's why none of these shirts look good?" I wondered.

"Hey! Don't say that, Darren. You're hot too. And it's fun trying out different clothes on you." Riko came over with another pile of clothes. Well, if it makes her happy, it's worth it. Many shirts later, Riko finally said one looked good! It was a T-shirt that read "My Wasabi". There was a picture of wasabi and an arrow pointing left. Riko held up a girls' shirt that read "My sushi" with a picture of sushi and an arrow pointing right.

"It's sooooooo cuutteeeeee, isn't it?!" Riko squealed. To be honest, it really was. "Hold on, Darren!" Riko ran over to the girls' changing room, and came back wearing the shirt. "Here, like it?"

"Hahaha you think Howard is gonna wear this?" I asked.

"It's soooo cute, though!" Riko remarked. "Well, I do think it fits you better. I don't think Howard would be cool anymore wearing a shirt like that."

"Yeah, so, it's a no-go, right? All those hundreds of dress shirts you made me try on probably suit him better." I was getting super hungry. How many hours have we been here?

"Ahh… but I really like these shirts!" Riko whined. "Tell you what. I'll buy these shirts. Come on, put your regular clothes back on." We changed back, and started making our way to purchase the shirts.

"What about Howard's gift?" I asked.

"Oh yeah, I TOTALLY forgot!" Riko exclaimed. She quickly ran back and pulled out a random dress shirt. We proceeded to purchase the clothes. Wow, she really spent so much time on me. Like, she just carelessly grabbed some random shirt for Howard, while spending the rest of the time fawning over me. Well, her intention was for Howard, but she was still fawning over me… and wanted that shirt for US.

"Wow, thanks, Riko," I said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry about it. Now we can wear our cute partner shirts!" Riko giggled. "Now, you want to eat dinner together?" It was already dark outside.

"Sure!"

"Let's go to that ramen place." We sat down at the ramen bar, ordering our ramen. I got a huge bowl of Tonkatsu while she got Shio. "Ah, can I try some of yours?" Riko asked.

"Here!" I pick up some noodles with my chopsticks and feed them to Riko. She laughed, slurping them up.

"Mmmm, they're delicious. Here, try some of mine!" Riko fed me some of her noodles.

"Want to grab a beer?" I asked.

"Hm? No, it's okay. I'll have a Ramune." We both got Ramune, and had a nice little sober drinking party. "Hey, Darren."

"Yeah?"

"Don't you just hate it when someone misunderstands you?" Riko asked.

"Of course. It's happened to me a lot."

"You know what I mean? When people think you're being insincere, or arrogant, when they don't even know the truth? For example, if you have an inferiority complex about something, and you try so hard to get over it? Say, you suck at swimming, but no one knows. You don't want people to know, so you work hard at it. After a long time, you master it. Now, you're not afraid to show your skills. But people think you're a showoff. The thing is, you're not _trying_ to show off. You're just so happy, because of all the trials you had to overcome. Don't you feel the need to show it a little? Shouldn't you be right in saying 'I'm good at swimming' after everything you've been through? But all those people will say you're a showoff. But they don't know anything. They don't know about all those times you failed, all those times you wanted to give up. They don't understand! You get it?"

"Yes, I understand," I reply, "and you feel so bad, because you should be happy but no one is happy with you. Everyone just looks down on you. After trying so hard, you should be happy. But others' attitudes just bring you down. It makes you feel… kind of ashamed of trying so hard. Like, what was the point of getting good if no one cares? If no one understands? I realized that most people in the world are like that. They don't understand. Only a few people are understanding."

"Exactly, Darren! You really do understand. I know it's kinda random talking to you about this, but this is something that troubles me all the time. Whether it's piano, Love Live, or whatever. I just wish that someone would understand these feelings."

"It's okay, Riko-chan. I understand you." We looked into each other's eyes for a moment, then Riko burst out laughing.

"It's hardly been two weeks, and yet I feel like I've known you my whole life!" Riko said. Her dreamy almond eyes twinkled in the barlight.

"I know, same. Actually, we haven't talked much until today, but I feel like I know you so well," I said.

"Yeah. We should talk more, Darren. You're a really nice guy. I mean, I wouldn't mind doing this again."

"Me too. You're a really sweet girl."

"Hey, don't say that!" Riko blushed, rising to her feet. "We should get going." We paid the check and left the mall, catching the last bus back to Uchiura. On the way back, we were the only ones in the bus. Riko leaned on my shoulder. I leaned on her.

Riko got a text, and opened her phone.

"Who's it from?" I asked.

"Oh, Howard. He's just texting me goodnight."

"Wow. He's so caring of you."

"Yeah."

Suddenly, I got a text myself. I check my phone.

"Who's it from?" Riko asked.

"Oh, it's from Yukio." It was a picture of YUKIO AND KENT, in her house or something eating ramen. It read "Hey Darren! Apparently, my parents decided to stay an extra night, so I invited Kent over! We had a blast eating homemade ramen! Too bad you weren't here. Hope you had fun with Riko!"

Lol what the heck, her texts are like emails or something. Man, I had an another opportunity but I missed it? Meh, whatever. But seriously? Kent? Apparently, Riko saw the text and picture.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Darren. I took so much of your time and you didn't get to meet Yukio's parents," she said.

"Ah, it's no big deal, Riko-chan. I had an amazing time with you today. I really had fun."

"Yeah, me too." We arrived back home in the darkness, and before I waved goodbye, Riko suddenly clasped both my hands in hers.

"Hey, Darren-chan."

"Yes?"

"I get the feeling that meeting you was not a coincidence. I'm sure that there is a reason for this, although I don't know what. I'm looking forward to more memories with you, and when you leave this place, don't ever forget me. Okay?"

I was taken aback by these words. The amount of emotion in her words was so sudden.

"O-okay. I won't. Good night, Riko."

"Good night, Darren." With that, she turned away and approached her door. As her shadowy figure disappeared from the moonlight, I took a deep breath of the fresh, warm seaside air that smelled of the melancholy traces of fading summer.

* * *

 ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****


	12. 12: Emerald

12: Emerald

More than a month had passed. The initial excitement had worn off, and I'm pretty settled into my daily life here. My grades have been steadily improving, and I've gotten quite comfortable with my friends. It's been great.

"Hey, Darren! Isn't it going to be Halloween in a few days?" Yukio asked as we sat in our desks.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, it is!" I replied. "The thing is, I never really do anything for Halloween. I've only been trick or treating once."

"What? Really? But you're from America! It's such a big thing there! You should've went trick or treating all the time!"

"Nah… my parents were always paranoid about something bad happening to me. Besides, it's not like any of my friends would go, either. So, there's no point."

"Aww… I wish I could go trick or treating…" Yukio moaned. "Kent! Do you go trick or treating?"

Kent smiled. "Of course. I could take you around on Halloween, if you'd like." LOL what the heck; Kent's acting all cool and all to Yukio.

"Oh, really? That'd be wonderful! The thing is, we don't really do trick or treating here," Yukio responded.

"Aww, man!" Kent said in dismay. "But we gotta do something for Halloween! I always go all out on Halloween. I can't miss it this year!"

"I don't know, man," I said to him. Suddenly, You-chan came bounding over from the front of the class.

"Darren-chan!" She said, eyes aglow. "I have something to tell you! So yesterday, I was at the cafe, and this girl sat down next to me! We talked a lot, and she was really outgoing and chill. She was a transfer student too! And I think the high school she said she went to was the same as yours or something!"

"W-what? Who could that be?" I replied, confused.

"Er- I forgot her name! But she said that she's in class 2-2! I'm going over to see her now! Wanna come?"

"Uhh, sure."

"I'm coming with you!" Kent chimed. "I wanna see this person from Darren's high school!"

"Ah, count me in too!" Yukio added. The four of us left the class and walked over to 2-2. Class had yet to begun, and everyone was chatting.

"Ah, there she is! Hi! It's me from yesterday, You!" You cried, waving to a girl sitting nearby. The girl turned around, smiling. Oh, no. Oh, oh no. I knew just who it was.

It was Emerald Song, from school. Come on, really?

I knew Emerald since kindergarten, and let's just say that we don't get along. I mean, I guess she's pretty nice sometimes, but other times we just get all salty at each other. It's kind of a love-hate relationship. Anyway, she's an Asian-American as well; she's pretty cute too. She got this emerald-color streak in her long, black hair, and a pair of legs as beautiful as her face.

"YOU!" I shouted.

"YOU!?" Emerald shot back.

"What are you doing here?!" I said, exasperated.

"What are YOU doing here?!" Emerald replied.

"Why'd you follow me here?"

"YOU'RE the one following me!"

"Ahh, come on! I come to the other side of the world and you're STILL HERE?!"

"Well, same here!"

The room fell silent at the noisily shouting English.

"Ehe… what's going on?" You asked timidly.

"Oh, oh, nothing," I said, embarrassed. "Um, hi Emerald."

"Hey, Darren," she replied, patting my arm. "I see you've made a bunch of friends."

Yukio and Kent were standing awkwardly by.

"Well, yeah, I guess. This is You, Yukio, and Kent."

Kent stepped forward and reached for Emerald's hand to shake it. Emerald quickly snatched her hand away.

"Woah, woah, watch it, partner! Not so fast!" she said, smirking. The shocked Kent was taken aback.

"Wow, what's wrong? I speak English too, you know. I'm from New Zealand," Kent said.

"Oh, really? That's cool," Emerald said. She flipped her hair, saying, "Well, I guess you're here as well, Darren. Might as well chill out together like the old times, eh?"

"What old times, bro? What, you mean middle school or something? We didn't even hang out though. It was just sitting next to you every class cuz seating chart and stuff! Wow, you're funny. Oh yeah, wait, there was also that one time we went trick or treating together, cuz our parents like forced us or something? Yeah, I remember that!" I reply.

Emerald laughed, "Right? You do remember! Hahaha yo we should do that again. Come on, this Halloween we should load up on the candy and get lit again. Like seriously, those were good times, fam."

"Yeah, I know right? And we tried knocking on Old Setten's door? And he got SO TRIGGERED! We just ran off and he was just yelling and chasing us! He was all like 'I go'n get my shotgun and teach y'all a lesson!' That was just great!" I exclaim.

"Uhh, excuse me?" A very confused Yukio interjected. "Are you guys angry or playing with each other? I can't tell…"

"Oh, we're just talking," Emerald answered, brushing the hair out of her face.

"Hey, but they don't do trick or treating here," Kent remarked.

"Yeah, I know. But, some of my friends told me about this thing," Emerald explained. "Basically, they're having this bravery test thing in the woods and everything. After everyone is done, you get to party and sleep over at the nice camp facilities they have there. You can stargaze and all; it's gonna be great."

"Wow, that sounds fun," I replied. "I'm in!"

"Me too!" Kent said.

"Ah, I'm not too good with scary stuff," Yukio said. "But I'm sure my cousin Yohane would love it!"

"I wanna go!" You remarked.

"Okay! Sounds like a plan," Emerald said, punching her fist into her palm and smiling.

"Ahh, we're gonna be late for class!" Yukio cried. "I'll ask my cousin!"

We all beat it back to class. A night camping? Sounds legit.

"You sure you don't want to come?" I asked Riko.

"Oh, no, I'm fine! You go and have fun," she replied, putting a hand on my shoulder. "I'm bad at outdoor stuff! I'm fine, Darren." It was Halloween morning, and I was outside with all my stuff packed, waiting for the others to show up. Chika wanted to come, but had to stay at home to help clean the rooms. Sad for her. Riko just happened to be watering her garden, and I asked her if she wanted to come with us. 'Cuz to be honest, I really wanted her to come with us.

"Aw, man! Okay, Riko." I stood there for a moment, not knowing what to say, except that I felt like standing there forever. "Okay, Riko! Well, see ya!"

I saw You and Yohane approaching.

"Morning, guys!" I called.

"Morning, Darren!" they responded. Yohane stepped forward and smiled.

"I heard you've been around with my cousin," she drawled. "Ku ku ku... What could this mean?"

"Yoshiko, don't be like that," You chastised.

"It's YoHANE. And I never said anything mean. I have a right to care about my own cousin!"

"Alright, alright. Do you have everything packed?"

"Yeah, I do! How about you?"  
"I'm always ready!" You exclaimed. "Look, it's Song-san!" Emerald came over in a car, driven by someone who was probably her host-father.

"Heya guys! What's up!" She called, hopping out of her car and high-fiving everybody. She gave me a pat on the head. "Hi Darren!" Her smile was really sweet.

"Uh, hi Emerald."

Suddenly Kent emerged from the car.

"Kent, what are you doing there?" I asked.

"Oh, I just picked that kid up cuz it was convenient," Emerald said nonchalantly. "So, this is everyone, right? Let's go!"

We hopped on to the car, and Emerald's host father drove us up a mountain path to the campsite. It was one of those places with a bunch of cabins and stuff, and a dining hall and recreational stuff. There were a bunch of random teens playing around already.

"Thank you, Oji-san!" We chanted, waving goodbye.

"Alright, so we gotta find our cabin first," Emerald stated, pulling out a map. She was wearing short shorts, a white Adidas jacket, and a white cap. Her eyes were lined with a dash of silver glitter. Guys left and right were just staring.

"Hey, they have a pool!" You exclaimed. "I wanna go swim!"

"Seriously? You literally have the entire ocean every day," Yoshiko remarked.

"Yeah, yeah, we all know she just wants to show off her skills to all the guys there," Kent said.

"Hey! That's not true!" You defended herself. "Well you two guys just came here because you get to sleep in the same cabin as us girls!"

Kent and I looked at each other. "Well, that's true," we replied in unison.

"Hahaha you guys are so messed," Emerald laughed. "Not like it's a bad thing, or anything."

"Haha yeah we all know you're much more jacked up than me," I shot.

"Hey, why are you two always fighting? Both of you seem like such nice people," You wondered.

"You don't understand," Emerald and I said at the SAME TIME. Sigh.

Anyway, we found our nice little one-room cabin. There was nothing inside except a few charging ports. The bathrooms were all in the central building.

"Okay, okay. So THIS is the girls' side, and that's you guys' side," Yoshiko said, piling all her stuff on one side of the room.

"Hey, that's sexist," Emerald countered, poking Yoshiko's little hair bun. "We can all mix together! Okay, Darren can sleep closest to the door, and I can sleep closest to the wall. And the rest of you just mix up!"

"Yo, what's the deal?" I asked.

"What, do you want to sleep next to me?" Emerald shot back.

"Eww of course not! Fine whatever." I put down my luggage. "Hey, where's You-chan?"

Kent, Emerald, Yoshiko and I went outside to see You jogging towards the pool area, hands busy unbuttoning her shirt.

"What… the heck?" Emerald remarked. We chased after her, catching up with her just in time to see her skirt hit the floor and reveal her swimsuit underneath. She did a leap in the air and dived into the pool. SPLASH!

"Uhh… Is she okay?" Kent said.

"Nah, she's always like this…" Yoshiko replied, shaking her head. You began swimming laps back and forth. Man, could she swim. As she barreled through the water, all the other swimmers hastily got out of her way. This really buff dude was all amazed and staring at her.

"Well, it is basically fall, and we won't have sunshine for a while… screw it, hold on I'm getting my stuff." Emerald quickly ran to the cabin, coming back in a skimpy green bikini. Kent and I just stared, jaws dropped. The other guys in the pool diverted their attention to her. Man, she was some spectacle.

"Are you guys gonna keep staring, or are you gonna come join us?" she said, flipping her hair and jumping into the water.

* * *

 **Wow, seriously, why is Emerald here? And wow, this is going to be a nice holiday. I wonder if Yohane will be scared of her own darkness! LOL~!**

 ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****


	13. 13: Sea and Sky

13: Sea and Sky

"Darren-chan! Take this!" You splashed a blast of water into my face.

"Aghh! You're gonna get it!" I shouted, chasing after her. You expertly dodged my splashes, twisting and gliding gracefully through the water.

"Hahaha! You can't catch me!" You teased. Laughing, I swam as fast as I could, trying to grab a hold of her. My arms and legs soon tired, but I kept going. Come on! I was supposed to be a good swimmer, except that I cried almost every day back when my mom made me take swimming lessons. My work was cut short for me when You was suddenly captured by Yoshiko's grasp.

"Ehhh? What are you doing, Yoshiko!"

"I got you, YOU!" Yoshiko shouted, laughing. "Darren-chan~! She's right here for you!"

"Yahhh!" I pushed a huge wave at You's face.

"Pffff aghhhhhh!" You cried, spitting out water. "Hey! That's cheating!"

"Haha, you're so cuuuuute, You-chan!" Yoshiko said.

"Hey! Oh yeah? Guess what? ZENSOKU ZENSHIN, YOSHIKO!" You screamed.

"Wh-what? It's YOHANE!" Yoshiko replied.

I looked around, and spotted Kent "chatting" with a bunch of strangers, who were apparently fascinated by his ability to speak English. The sun was shining down on our faces, and the air smelled of- sunscreen. EWWWWW I HATE THAT SMELL! Sunscreen just reminds me of the scorching Californian sun and being dazed and feeling like dying… Please…

SPLASH!

I turned to see Emerald do a nose dive from the diving board, piercing through the water. A round of applause resounded from her admirers, a flock of muscular-looking shirtless guys. Emerald resurfaced right next to me.

"Boop!" She sounded, pushing my nose like a button. "Hey Darren!"

"Hi. You done showing off your body?" I said.

"Well, nope. Hey, wanna jump with me? So you can show off yours? Hahaha!"

"Really Emerald?" Seriously, why on Earth would I want to show off my body? Hey, but I kinda wanted to go because all the guys would see that I was her friend and they might back off and not try to pick her up. "Yeah, okay."

"Cool!" Emerald pulled me to the stairs, and climbed out of the pool ahead of me very slowly so I could stare at her butt. Really? "You like that, don't you?" she teased, winking. Uhhhhhh. We went over and climbed up to the diving board. I made sure to climb up first, cuz I got my morals, ya know. When Emerald was up, she put her hands on my shoulders. "Hey! Jump in with me on your back. Come on!"

Emerald leaped up and wrapped her legs around my body. I placed my hands on her thighs, and bent to support her weight. I got super nervous when I saw all the guys gaping.

"Yo! How'd a loser like that pick her up!?" I heard someone shout. Not this again!

"Yeah! Pick her up like picking her up and actually physically picking her up!"

What the heck? Lol!

"You gonna jump, Dary?!" Emerald said, leaning her head on my shoulder, her soaked hair falling over me.

"Um- this is kinda awkward," I replied, blushing profusely. Suddenly I felt a huge shove behind me!

"Let's GO, big boy!" the person behind me shouted, and I flew into the water, Emerald on my back. We went in pretty deep, and in my shock, I kinda panicked. I started grabbing around for Emerald to make sure she was okay, but it turns out she was the one who was already bolting for the surface, and I was just dragging her down by pulling on her arms. After thirty seconds of thrashing around and accidentally touching her chest like thirty times, we broke the surface.

"Hey! Dary! What the **** was that all about?!" Emerald said angrily.

"No, I just wanted to make sure you were safe!"

"Seriously dude?" she replied, rolling her eyes. "You could have killed me! I bet you just wanted to touch me!" She crossed her arms around her chest and stormed off, buying a pina colada and sitting under an umbrella.

Normally, I wouldn't care much for these little arguments we get into, but I suddenly felt a weight on my chest. I felt like apologizing to her…

"Hey! Whats up?" I turn around to face a really buff guy. He grinned, revealing a pair of crooked teeth.

"Uh… nothing?" I reply anxiously.

"You think you're good enough for that chick?"

"Uh, no?"

"That's right, kid! You're not! So what the hell was that, pickin' her up?"

"I dunno…" Should I stand up for myself or avoid confrontation? Usually, standing up for myself just got myself beat up… but… this is a different time, and a different place.

"Hey! What about you, huh? Think you're good enough for that chick?" I said defiantly, raising my head.

"Wat? Sure I am, boy! Wanna see?"

"Yeah! Come on!"

"Alright then, boy. Watch me boy." The big dude got out of the pool and walked over to where Emerald was reclining, complete with sunglasses and drink in hand.

"What's happening?" You asked, as she and Yoshiko came up next to me.

"Well, apparently, that guy thinks I'm not cool enough for Emerald, and is trying to prove to me that _he_ is," I replied.

"Wait, but why do you care? Why would you care about that if you don't even like her?" Yoshiko reasoned. "Ku ku ku… does that mean…?"

"SHHHHH! Let's watch!" I said, placing my hand on Yoshiko's mouth.

"Hey," the brute said, all suave, sitting down next to Emerald. Emerald shifted and pulled down her sunglasses with one hand.

"Yes?"

"I like your diving. It's really graceful."

"Um, okay? Thanks." Emerald flipped her hair, taking a long draw from her pina colada.

"Hey. Would you like to check out my cabin? It's got a private pool. Maybe you could teach me a few moves."

"Uh, no thank you? I'm not really interested," Emerald replied, not even bothering to look at the guy.

"Hahaha look he's getting destroyed!" I said excitedly, patting You's shoulder.

"Man, your girl is savage," Kent remarked, appearing behind me.

"What the heck she's not my girl dude."

"Girl, you got a name?" the cool guy continued, shifting closer to Emerald.

"Nope."

"Hey, come on. I'm chill. You can hang we me, ya know."

Emerald ignored him.

"Hey." He reached and placed a hand on her thigh, and was instantly repaid with a karate chop to the groin. "AHHHHHHHH!" he screamed, jumping up and down, grabbing his jewels. "AHGHGHHHH, *******************!"

"HAHAHAHAH!" Kent, You, Yoshiko and I burst out laughing.

"Hey! What you laughing for, boy!" the dude shouted, jumping into the water and barreling straight for me. OH, NO!

I turned and began swimming at breakneck speed towards the other side of the pool. I leaped out, and he followed. We began running in circles around the pool, smashing into everybody.

"Coming through!" I yelled, accidentally tackling a pair of bikini girls, who started shrieking. They were tackled again as the big dude came right on my heels.

"Ahhhhh someone help meeee!" I scream. "Where's the lifeguard!?"

Lol then I realized that HE WAS THE LIFEGUARD! Cuz he was wearing lifeguard shorts and all. SERIOUSLY?

I couldn't go for much longer. I wasn't built for this! I stopped in my tracks, panting. I was done for. I couldn't go on. I braced for impact. It never came.

Turning around, I saw the perfect shape of Emerald's back, facing down an enraged beast.

"Hey! Get away from Dary!" Emerald shouted.

"Dary? What the hell is that stupid dumb*** name?" The guy shouted, roaring.

"Shut up! Dary's my friend. Don't you touch him!"

"Oh, no! I don't wanna touch that piece of ****! I'd rather touch you, baby girl!"

Emerald kicked the dude's crotch as hard as she could, and he fell to his knees.

"Ooooooooff!" He cried. "Aghhh! Stop doing that!"

"Hey. I told you to back off," Emerald spat, arms crossed.

"Yo, whatever. Why would you like a pretty boy like that, anyway? Crazy. Why do the hot chicks always go after the gross guys?"

"Because. Dary's smart, cute, and better than you. He might be annoying sometimes, but I'd love him over you any day, loser."

Wow, Emerald! HOW SWEET!

"Come on! Might as well marry him, then! Then you'll see how nice he is! Probably a d*** broke welfare ghetto kid! Go ahead, marry him!" The guy shouted, turning and storming away.

"Sure! I will!" Emerald shouted after him. Then she turned to me, and her expression softened. Her pretty eyes glistened with worry. "Are-are you okay, Dary?" she asked, threading my hand in hers.

"Um, yeah… th-thanks, Emi," I stuttered. How could she be so brave?

"Well, that's good," she replied. I noticed her knees were shaking from nervousness, and streams of sweat trailed down her face.

We stared at each other awkwardly.

Then I reached out and hugged her.

"Thanks so much, Emi! You saved my life!" I grasped her tighter, and she held me in return.

"No problem, Dary. It's all good."

We finally released each other, and I noticed something wrong.

"Hey, Emi- where's your-" Apparently, her bikini top had come loose during all that action. I spotted it floating over in the pool. "Uhhhhhh…."

"AHHHHHHHH!"

*CRUNCH!*

The last of the sun's rays were disappearing over the horizon. We gathered in around with the others who wanted to participate in the bravery test.

"Alright, everyone! Choose your partners!" Naturally, all the couples paired up together. Well, that meant I was kinda in a dilemma. The five of us stood there, not knowing how to split it up.

"Well, Darren," You announced, "you should go with Emerald, since you're so close and all!"

"What? No way! That's so weird!" I retaliated.

"Yeah! Why would I want to go with that guy!?" Emerald said.

"Aww… well, you can go with me!" You said.

"Sure!" I replied enthusiastically. "But… there's an odd number of us… so…"

"Ku ku ku… A fallen angel like me fears no darkness," Yoshiko drawled. "I can make it alone."

"No, that's so sad!" You objected.

"Well, I could go with you," Kent suggested. "That's a nice Halloween costume you got there," he said, checking Yoshiko out. She was the only one who actually dressed up, in her fallen angel cosplay outfit.

"Eh? Umm…. Well…" Yoshiko stuttered.

"Well, there's no way I'm going alone," Emerald said. "Hey, Dary. Mind if we go as a group of three?"

"Uhhhh…"

"Okay, it's settled!" Emerald announced. "Me, You, Darren in one group, and Kent and Yoshiko can go together."

"Hey! Darren probably wants to go with his You alone, so you should join my group instead," Kent said.

"Nah, you probably just want to have a harem," Emerald retorted.

"What? But that's what Darren wants!"

Emerald ignored him, joining up with You and I.

"Eh? Aw, okay, I'll go with you," Yoshiko said awkwardly to Kent. My group ventured forward into the dark forest path. Before us were three paths, branching out in different directions.

"So, guys, which one should we choose?" I asked.

"You're the man, Darren-chan," You said, grabbing my arm. "Lead the way!"

What the heck? Okay.

"Um, let's go left." We went down the left path, and soon were enveloped in darkness. The sounds of crickets chirping surrounded us, and a sliver of moonlight peeked through the trees. The air smelled of crisp pines.

We continued walking in silence, You on my left and Emerald on my right.

"Hey." It was You's voice.

"Hm?"

"It's kinda scary."

"Really?"

"Mm." You grasped my arm tighter, and pulled her body close.

"Don't worry, You-chan. I'll protect you."

"No, I should be the one protecting you… Haha remember that time at Makku when those guys were bullying you, and I showed them up?"

"Yeah. You were really great. I was so surprised by how brave you were."

"Heheh! Thanks. It's fun to protect you, Darren-chan."

Emerald suddenly spoke up.

"Hey Dary! Remember a few hours ago when you were being bullied and and I showed that dude what was up?" she said uncomfortably loud.

"Uh, yeah. Why?" I asked.

"Well, It's fun to protect you, Dary." Emerald patted me on the head.

"Wow, all of you guys like protecting me so much, but I feel like I should be protecting you… Man, I'm such a passive beta, dude," I remark.

"No you're not!" You and Emerald said in unison, both grabbing my arms. OH MY GOSH. Sigh. I should have went alone. After walking a few more minutes, Emerald stopped.

"Hey! I shouldn't have drank those three cans of soda before I did this! I need to go PEE!" She said.

"Uh, okay… Make sure to get out of the vicinity, though," I replied.

"Yeah, okay." Emerald wandered off the path, into the darkness. You and I sat down on a fallen log, taking a rest. You rested her head in my lap.

"Hey You. When did we get this close?" I asked.

"I dunno. It always seems like you're so close with everyone else, like Riko, Yukio, Chika, or Emerald. It feels like the two of us never did anything really cute," You whispered.

I didn't know what to say. It was kinda true, but I guess it couldn't be helped.

"Well… unless you want do something cute? Right now?" I asked nervously.

"Eh? Like what?" You asked, sitting up.

"I don't know. Whatever cute thing you want to do, you better do it before Emerald finishes peeing."

"Okay." You reached over and gave me a kiss on the cheek. She held it there, soft lips pressing into my face, which burned up.

"Hey. How long are you gonna kiss me? Emerald could be back anytime."

Without replying, You released me and kissed my other cheek. When she finally stopped, she pulled back and smiled nervously in the moonlight.

"Heehee. Th-thanks, Darren-chan," she whispered. She was blushing so much, I could see it in such darkness.

"Y-You-chan…"

Suddenly, You stood up.

"Where's Emerald? She should be back by now."

"Oh, yeah…this is not good… How long has it been?"

The two of us left the path in the direction that Emerald took. I expected You to cling to me, but she didn't. Instead, she lead the way, calling out Emerald's name.

"Eeeeemiiiiiiii!" I called. We must have wandered around for almost an hour before we received a reply.

"D-Dary?" Emerald's unusually small voice resounded. You and I looked at each other and quickly ran to the source of the voice. Emerald was huddled in a ball, knees drawn up to her chest. "Dary! Dary!"

"Emi! What happened!?" I shout.

"I got lost and everything! It was so dark, and I didn't want you spying on me, so I went so far, and…"

"What the heck? I wouldn't ever do anything like that. How could you be so stubborn?"

"I-I'm sorry, Dary."

I reached down and helped Emerald up, who instantly embraced me. I could see tears glistening in the the moonlight. Her body was shivering. The temperature had gone down drastically.

"Here." I take off my jacket and put it around her. "Don't ever do anything like that again, okay?"

"Mm. Okay, Dary."

"Um, guys? How are we gonna get back?" You wondered.

"That's- a good question…" I replied. We spent another hour trying to retrace our steps, getting lost, going in circles.

"This is no good… we're gonna miss the party," You said. "Here. We can have our own party." She opened her backpack and took out three cans of Sapporo Beer.

"Wow, how many times have I broken the law since I got here?" I remark, taking the beer and opening it. The three of us cried out "kanpai!" and chugged the beers.

"Alright. Let's find our way outta here," I said.

After a long time, we finally broke out of the woods. We trudged back to the dining hall, where the party was. When we arrived at the doors, they were locked and looking inside we could see a janitor sweeping trash from the floor.

"Well, looks like the party's over," Emerald remarked. "I-I'm so sorry, guys… It was all because of me!"

"No, Song-san, don't say that!" You said, hugging Emerald. "It's alright as long as you're okay!"

"Dary? I'm too sorry!" Tears began flowing down Emerald's cheeks.

"No, no! Don't be! It's okay. I don't even care about the party! I care about you!" I yelled, grasping her hands in mine.

Suddenly, Emerald smiled.

"Yay!" She yanked her hands away and patted my head. "Thanks! Race y'all to the cabin!" She then began to run away. You and I chased her back to the cabin.

When we entered, Kent and Yoshiko were sitting on opposite sides of the room, on their phones.

"Where were you guys?" Yoshiko asked.

"Long story. But all I wanna do is sleep right now," I replied. I sunk down on my futon, throwing off my dirty clothes. Everyone stared at me.

"Ummm… Darren? You're in your undies," Yoshiko said.

"Mmm." I roll over in my futon. Aghhh, too many feelings for one day.

"What did we miss?" Emerald exclaimed.

"Well, the party was pretty lit," Kent explained. "Yoshiko? Show em."

"Alright! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!" Yoshiko suddenly produced a massive bag, dumping its contents out onto the floor. Mountains and mountains of candy. I jumped up straight and dived into the pile of candy.

"CANDY!" I roared. Sorry. I know I said I was so tired and everything, but I just couldn't turn down candy. So, we had a great time, devouring loads of candy and laughing all together.

When we were all full and the pile had diminished a great deal, we finally prepared to sleep. We settled into our futons and turned out the lights. Soon many of my friends seemed asleep, breathing peacefully with blissful smiles on their faces.

I couldn't fall asleep at all. I kept thinking about all the connections I'd made here in Japan. If it wasn't for luck, or destiny, I would never had met them, never touched their lives. It must be the sea, or the sky, on my side. What were the chances? I thought about Chika, awaiting my return, You wanting to be cute with me, Riko, buying that sushi shirt for me, Yukio, playing in the ocean with me, and Emerald, standing up to that bully when she was clearly frightened to death herself. Sigh. Oh yeah, even Kent, with his weirdness, and the other Aqours girls. Sighhhhhh. Why the heck am I feeling so sentimental all of a sudden?

"Hey, Darren." It was Emerald. She bent down and nudged me aside, sliding into my futon. She sunggled in close, and I could feel the warmth emanating for her. "You're a cool guy."

Too tired to be nervous, I wrapped an arm around her.

"And you're a cute girl."

The rays of moonlight shone on our faces, and Emerald's long eyelashes twinkled in the darkness. I looked up out the window, at the moon, at the sky, at the stars. Slowly, I faded into sleep, smiling.

* * *

 ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****


	14. 14: Hot Springs In Rain

14: Hot Springs In Rain

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Ughhhhh…. I roll over in my futon. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

What time is it? I rub my eyes. A ray of light shone through the window, illuminating the dust particles in the air. Emerald lay beside me, her hair caressing the soft features of her face. She opened her eyes.

"Mmmmm… morning, Dary," she yawned. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

"I'll get the door," I said, but Yohane beat me to it. Clad in her pyjamas, Yohane swung the door wide open, letting in a gust of cold air.

"Ah, Yoshiko-chan!" a familiar voice sounded.

"Oh, hey." Yukio stepped in, bundled in a pink scarf and gray overcoat.

"Oh, hi Darren-san!" she called. "I came to-" suddenly her eyes widened. Oh, no! I was still squished in the futon with Emerald!

"D-Darren-san! I'm sorry!" Yukio cried, quickly covering her eyes. "I didn't mean to look!"

Emerald and I looked at each other.

"No, Yukio… it's not what you think it is!" I said, leaping up out of the futon and running over to Yukio. By now, everyone in the cabin was awake. "She was just cold," I said, gently pulling her arms away from her face.

"Ahhhh!" Yukio jumped back, seeing that I was clad only in my boxers. I felt my face go red.

"Uh, I was just hot last night," I stutter.

"Wh-what? So Emerald-san was cold and you were hot? How does that work?" Yukio cried exasperatedly.

"Ah, never mind! So what were you doing here again?" I asked.

"Well, Yoshiko's mother came to pick all of you up," she said. "I came with her to see you guys. Come on, we can grab breakfast together."

We groggily dressed and packed up, tiredly. Not a good idea eating so much candy at like three in the morning. We went over to the dining hall, where they were serving breakfast. I got bread and coffee, and sat down at a table with the others. Outside, the sky was cloudy, and it looked like it would rain. The temperature sure dropped since yesterday, and we were all wearing swaggy jackets and all.

"So, what fun did you guys have yesterday?" Yukio asked.

"Um..." the rest of us looked at each other, smiling.

"Let's just say that stuff happened," You said.

"Of course it was all to Darren, or should I say DARY," Kent remarked bitterly.

"Oh, that's great! Here, Darren-san, would you like some of my coffee? You look so tired," Yukio said softly, handing me her cup.

"Hey! What about me?" You laughed.

"Yeah, stop hitting on Darren, cousin!" Yohane exclaimed. "You don't even offer the coffee to your own cousin?"

"Oh? Heheh, well, you don't look so tired," Yukio replied, all smiles. I took a sip of Yukio's coffee. I could see her lipstick stain on it…. My eyes went wide when I realized that we had indirectly kissed. Yukio's eyes darted to meet mine, and she smiled knowingly. Gulp.

"Yukio-CHAN!" Kent called. "WANT SOME OF MY COFFEE?"

Everyone in the hall just stared at Kent, as he was rising halfway up from his seat, offering his cup to Yukio.

"Ehe… sure, Kent-chan," Yukio laughed, sipping from Kent's cup.

"YES! YUKIO-SENPAI NOTICED ME!" he yelled.

"Seriously? She's not even your senpai!" I said.

"Doesn't matter! Thanks, Yukio-SENPAIIIIII!" Kent smiled, running over and giving Yukio the cringiest hug ever.

OH MY GOSH HE IS SO DESPERATE. Whatever.

We soon finished, and piled onto Mrs. Tsushima's car. As we drove down the mountain, large mists of rain began to pour, blowing this way and that. I huddled in between Yoshiko and Yukio in the back row of the minivan. I reached over and drew a happy face in the condensation on the window.

"Haha, what are you doing, Darren?" Yoshiko chuckled. I shrugged. I sighed. I was having so much fun and all, but it was too much fun. I worried that after this, the rest of the year would just be mundane and monotonous. We finally reached our first stop, Chika's house. When I got off the van, everyone was about to say goodbye to me, but Chika came shouting.

"Wait, guys! All of you need to come with me!" she yelled.

"What? What's happening?" Kent asked.

"Just come!"

The other kids piled out.

"Mm, we'll find our way home later," Yoshiko said to her mom, and we all waved goodbye.

"What do you need?" You asked Chika.

The rain poured down in buckets, and we were getting drenched.

"We're going to Mari's house! We have a very important meeting. The others are already there! You, your boat?" Chika said quickly, pushing her soaked bangs from her forehead.

"Aye, mam!" You cried, and we ran over to the dock, where her boat was waiting.

"I still don't know what we're doing," I said to her as she screamed from a gust of wind blowing her hair everywhere.

"Wait till we get out of this storm!" she replied. We piled into the boat, and You fired up the engine. We sped towards Mari's island as fast as we could, fighting the thrashing tide.

"Ahhhhh!" We screamed, as the boat rocked sending a wave of water onto the boat, drenching everyone.

"Are you sure this is safe?" Emerald yelled.

"It's okay, I've got this!" You cried from the steering wheel. "I think!"

A thunderclap made us jump. A flash of lightning illuminated the sky.

"This storm is getting really big!" Yukio exclaimed.

"Don't worry! We're almost there!" You called as we drew closer and closer to Mari's home. When we were almost at the dock, a massive wave smashed into the ship.

"Aghhhh! Is everyone okay!?" I yelled. "Wait- You? Where's You?!"

"Hellllp! AAGHHHHHHughghglghgll!" You was thrashing in the choppy waters, pushed off the deck by the waves!

"You!" I leap into the water, plunging myself into a mass of confusion. As water got into my mouth and nose, I scrambled to get a hold of You, who was trying her best to fight the waves from taking her away.

"Darren! I'm coming to help!" Emerald shouted from the boat.

"No! It's too dangerous!" I yell back, taking a mouthful of water. "You! Grab my hand!"

"I'm trying, I'm trying!" You cried, reaching out for me. As I swam closer, she was pulled under the water.

"No!" I go under, squinting my eyes open. You was flailing wildly in a panic.

"I knew this was a bad idea!" Yukio said, watching nervously.

I finally grab onto You's hand.

My lungs felt as if they were going to burst.

With all my strength, I pulled her as hard as I could, swimming for the surface. As I neared the top, I was pulled down again. It was You's thrashing; it was dragging me down. This was just like yesterday, when I was pulling Emerald down. So this is how she felt, except that it was much more serious right then!

Come on. I can't go down like this! There's no way to make it with You latching onto me like this! I decide that there is only one way to make it out alive. She's gonna have to make it out herself. I know You's an expert swimmer, but she's just panicking right now. So I just have to make sure she's calm.

I look down and meet You's terrified eyes, bubbles pouring out of her mouth.

 _Calm,_ I mouthed. _Calm._ Please be calm. Please…

You realized what I was saying, and got a hold of herself. She nodded, and I let go, swimming for the surface with all my might. I couldn't hold my breath for any longer. Not looking back, I kept swimming. I know You will make it! She's the better swimmer!

"Agh!" I break the surface, taking huge gasps of air.

"Darren!" Chika called. "Where's You!"

"Uhhh…" Come on! You, get up! You can do it! "HERE!" I yelled, as You finally popped out of the water, next to me.

"Heh, Darren-chan, you saved my life!" she gasped.

"We're not safe yet! Come on!" We swim for the boat, grabbing onto the hands that pulled us back aboard. You and I fell to the deck, gasping for air.

"Oh, thank goodness you two are safe!" Yukio said concernedly. Kent managed to drive to ship to the dock, Where the other members of Aqours were rushing to help.

"What happened?" Mari cried.

"You fell into the water!" Chika replied.

"Come on, let's get you all inside!"

We were led into the hotel, past the lounge and down a hallway, trailing seawater all over the floor.

"Here! Quickly get warm! We can't afford for you guys to get sick!" Mari ushered us into a room. There were too more doors.

"Wait- is this… a HOT SPRING?" Kent shouted.

"Yes! Hurry!"

"But… but…" I stuttered.

"Oh yeah! Boys on the right!" Mari called.

"NO! You should have just rushed in with the girls since we were in such a panic!" Kent shouted as we went into the onsen and stripped.

"Ahhhhhhhh…It's super hot," I said, feeling the adrenaline leaving my body. "Man, that was so frightening. We almost died."

"I know, man. We were all scared s***less," Kent replied. "What the heck are we even doing here, anyway?"

"I dunno. Some sort of meeting? Whatever it-"

"SHHHHHHHH! Listen!" Kent whispered. We heard giggling sounds from the bath next to us, which was divided by a wooden fence. A wooden covering blocked out the rain, but the sides were opened, revealing a view of the ocean and the lush foliage of the island.

"Y-yeah! He was so strong, when I looked in his eyes, I just got all my strength and felt so… calm! Heeheehee!" It was You's voice.

Kent and I scrambled to the fence, putting our ears to it.

"Wow… he's not like that to me! He almost drowned me yesterday!" Emerald said. "He's not strong! And besides, he's a creepo too! You know what? He saw my chest yesterday!"

Gulp. Why was she telling everyone?

"Wow, but you can't blame him! Yours look so great, Emerald-san!" Hanamaru's voice sounded.

Guulllllpppp. Kent and I looked at each other with wide eyes.

"Hey! Yours look pretty nice, too!"

"Not really, zura…"

"Well I think they do."

UNGGGGHHHHHHHHHH. Kent and I were both blushing profusely. It was super awkward.

"Hey, why do they only talk about you?" Kent whispered.

"Oh yeah, how was your night hike with Kent?" You asked.

"Well… he was pretty cool," Yoshiko replied. "He wasn't scared at all… I kept acting like I wasn't, because I'm a fallen angel, but deep inside I was kinda scared… I guess he really gave me confidence!"

"Aww, really? I know, right? I feel like Kent is actually a nice and reliable guy, even though he seems more weird than Darren," Yukio said. "Like I had a wonderful time when he came over to my house. He showed me how to play all these video games and everything, when I didn't get it he was always so patient and helpful!"

Kent was sweating like mad.

Wait, WHAT? They actually have feelings other than disgust for Kent? How can that be?

"Ah, Riko-chan, how's Howard?" Kanan voiced.

"Oh, well, he's charming as always… He really liked my birthday gift, and bought me flowers in return… I told him I couldn't accept it, since it was his birthday and all, but he insisted… They were nice flowers, too… sakura for my name, Sakurauchi. But they were plastic. Haha, still very sweet, though," Riko replied nervously.

Oh, man. "That's cheap," I whispered to Kent. "One day, I'm gonna make her a real gift of real sakura flowers, and make a hair wreath or something that'll take her breath away." I was getting all fired up.

"Ok, whatever!" Kent replied.

"Anyway, have you two… done anything?" Dia asked.

"Wh-what?" Riko stuttered.

Gulp.

"You must have! Tell me! Come on!" Mari teased.

"Nothing! We never did anything but hug!" Riko replied.

"Come on, tell the truth! Or else…" Mari said creepily. We heard the splashing of water. "That's a shapely body you got there… did you show Howard?

At this, Kent and I got so excited we couldn't help but try to scale the fence. I don't know what the hell I was thinking.

"Tell, me, Riko-chan! I'm coming for you!..."

"We didn't- we KYAAAAAHHHHHH!"

At Riko's squeal, Kent and I instantly lost our grip and fell splashing down back into our pool.

SPLASH!

"So, how much did you hear, creepos?" Chika asked, arms crossed. The other girls stood around us in the lobby. Kent and I were seated on lofty chairs, both of us with tissues stuffed up our nostrils. We were all nice and warm, and a few tourists were secretly taking pictures of us (They were probably Love Live fans, due to their Aqours tracksuits and towels).

"Um, not much," I replied nonchalantly.

"Tell me everything you heard," Chika ordered. Kent and I had planned for this. We looked at each other, nodded, and said in unison: "KYYAAHHHHHH!" mimicking Riko's scream.

"Uggggghhhhhh!" Riko groaned, burying her face in her hands.

"Oh yeah, thanks for saving me, Darren-chan. Thanks a lot," You said sweetly. "Need me to replace your nose plug?"

"No, it's fine," I said.

"Iyyaaaaaa, tell meeeeee! What did you hear?" Chika whined.

"Guys, are we gonna sit here and question the guys all day? It's getting dark already," Ruby remarked. "I don't think it really matters what they heard."

"Yes it does! It's sooo important!" Emerald said.

"ANYWAYS, what was the meeting supposed to be about?" I blurt.

"Sigh. Okay, so basically, it's Love Live."

"What? You guys are actually going to be in Love Live?"

"Well, not as of this moment. This year, they're doing something different- all music cannot be recorded. Which means, we're screwed. We don't have live music!" Chika exclaimed.

"What? So what are you guys gonna do?"

"That's the problem! Tell me, Darren, what instruments do you play?"

"Well… I used to play piano, like everyone else at my school, when I was young… I also tried out some drums and I play flute in band. I suck at guitar, even though I've tried that too," I replied.

"Oh really? Maybe you could help us," Dia said sternly. "We need dedicated musicians, and we need them now. The qualifiers are soon, and we don't even have a band!"

"I can play the drums!" Emerald announced.

"I can play the bass!" Kent said.

"I can play the guitar!" Yukio added.

"What? Seriously?" You exclaimed. "How do all of you guys know how to play instruments?

"What do you think we are, non-nerds?" I asked.

"Yeah! Like, most people from our town play an instrument," Emerald agreed.

"DUDE! Same here!" Kent joined.

"Oh, I just learned the guitar by myself," Yukio said placidly.

"Well, what marvelous fortune. I knew you were all useful people," Dia said.

"Dia-CHAN, What about Darren? He seems to know many instruments, but isn't super good at any of them," Riko said.

"Well… well, he said he could play piano? We need a pianist. And you need to sing, Riko. So? We use Darren. How are your teaching skills?" Dia said.

"Ahh-hem. Uh… well… I guess I could help him out a bit," Riko said unsurely.

"Great! From now on, you're gonna tutor Darren. Got it?"

"O-okay," Riko replied.

"Alright! You guys better start practicing our music. We don't have much time!"

This was so sudden. We have to form a band to play for Love Live? THE Love Live? And I'm just a random foreigner. This is scary.

"Where are we going to rehearse though?" Kent pondered.

"Well, we could use the music room. They have a keyboard and drum set there. I don't think our school ever uses it, since so little people go there, zura," Hanamaru said.

"That's great! And Darren can go to Riko-chan's house for private lessons, right?" Chika asked.

"Y-of course!" Riko said, flustered.

"Gosh Riko, you're in such a wreck today! You're not the one who was saved by Darren today," You teased.

"Okay! It's settled! We got an Aqours band!" Kanan announced.

"Shiny! Let's all stay here for tonight. We're gonna have to wait out that storm!" Mari said.

We all got paired and went to our hotel rooms. Sadly, I was with Kent again, since we were the only guys.

"Ahhhhhh…" I flopped on my clean white hotel bed. "Really? A band?"

"Yeah, man. I'm not even that good at the bass. Well, at least you get lessons with Riko. So much bonding time."

I rolled over in my bed, and looked outside. The rain had stopped, and the town lights sparkled orange on the other side of the water. The window was streaked with beautiful droplets of rain. I went over and opened the door, breathing in the cold, crisp air that smelled of fresh plants and the sea.

"Close the door, will you? It's darn cold!" Kent said.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure, being in a band this year, we'll have plenty of time to bond with everyone."

* * *

 ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****


	15. 15: Understanding

15: Understanding

The music room was nice and cosy, but neglected. Dust covered the drum set and the keyboard. A pile of music stands and chairs was packed messily into the corner, and atop the grand piano was a pile of yellowed sheet music.

"Wow, this place is old," I remarked as Aqours (plus four members now) entered the room.

"Yeah, look at this old music…" Hanamaru said. "It's so sad looking… no one even comes here anymore."

Riko strode over to the piano and lifted the cover. She played a chord, and the sound resonated throughout the room.

"Wow, it's still in tune," she said. "Emerald-san, can you check out the drums?"

Emerald went over and banged on the drums with her sticks. "Sounds good."

"Yukio, you have your guitar?" Dia asked.

"Yes, I do," Yukio replied, taking out her acoustic guitar.

"You realize we're gonna need an electric guitar, right?" Dia said.

"Yes, I have yet to purchase one." Yukio strummed her guitar and began to tune. Kent took out his pearl white bass guitar, and found an amplifier to plug it in.

"Well, it seems like the instrumentalists are all set," Chika announced. "Why don't we give it a go?"

"Wait, what about Darren-chan?" Riko questioned.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot! Go use the keyboard, because we need synth sounds for our idol music," Chika commanded. I walked over and turned on the keyboard, playing a few notes. To be honest, I didn't play any piano in like seven years. So I'm basically screwed. We printed out music to "Kimi no Kokoro Wa Kagayaiteru Kai?", and the others seemed to pick it up real fast. I was not in such a good position.

"Okay, ready? One, two, three, four!" Chika called. The song starts with a downward scale from the piano, then the guitar and drums come in. I totally failed my scale, playing all the wrong notes. Right afterwards, Yukio came in, but she was using an acoustic guitar- let's just say it did not sound right. Finally, Kent and Emerald came in blazing, filling the air with upbeat sounds.

"Cut! Cut! Cut!" Chika sighed. "Never mind, guys… I think the band needs more practice before we can make this work…"

Embarrassed, I lowered my head. "Sorry… I'm just super super super rusty. Just give me time; I'll improve! I promise!"

"Yeah, I believe you. I guess we should leave some time for the band to practice alone. The rest of us'll continue practicing on the roof until you're ready," Chika said, and led the Aqours girls out of the room.

"Ganbatte!" Riko said to us, punching the air as she exited the room.

When the others had left, the rest of us looked at each other.

"Ummm… that was trash," Emerald said.

"Yeah, I know!" Kent joined.

"I can play it perfectly, it's just that I'm using an acoustic," Yukio said.

They all looked at me.

"Um. I- just suck," I said, feeling super depressed that I had let down the entire group.

Was I really cut out for this?

"Don't worry about it, Darren-san. I'm sure you'll get better with practice," Yukio comforted.

"You better!" Emerald shot. "Now how are we supposed to practice anything like this?"

"You guys practice on," I said. "I'll just try and figure this music out. Besides, I don't know about this thing. Like, I don't know if I can do it. But just go on without me."

They spent the rest of the time rehearsing, and I was just trying to get that first scale down. It was really sad, and my eyes kept watering every time I messed up. Why couldn't I just do it right? After practice, I quickly ran home, too embarrassed to meet everyone else. Wow, they must think that I'm such a loser, and so unskilled. Ughhhh I'm so embarrassed. Not wanting to meet Chika, I went over to the beach near the pier (where Riko had first jumped in) and sat down, pulling my knees into my chest.

I had felt so happy to part of Aqours, and this is the only chance I'll ever get. And I screw it up. If I don't get good, there's no way I'm gonna perform with them. I can just imagine the look on Chika's face when she has to tell me that I'm not good enough but in a way that won't appear mean and it'll just make me even sadder!

"WHY!" I scream, grabbing one of my D-grade tests and crumpling it into a ball, chucking it as far out into the sea as possible.

"Hey! D-Darren-chan!? Don't do that!"

I turned around to see Riko, running over, hair flying in the wind. "What's wrong?" she asked, parking next to me, catching her breath.

"N-nothing," I replied.

"It's about today's practice, right?" Riko said knowingly.

I didn't reply.

She put a hand on my shoulder.

"It's okay. I know exactly how it feels," she said.

"Really?" I asked. "Do you? You're so good at piano and everything, it's hard to imagine."

"Hah, what? Did you not watch the anime? Remember when I couldn't play a note in front of the entire audience at that recital?"

"Oh...yeah…"

"Well, there you have it. Like, I tried so hard, spent so many hours perfecting my music, but when the time came, I couldn't play it. Then everyone thinks you suck and all, but in reality you don't. You've tried so hard, and gotten so perfect, but just because of one mess up everyone judges you. They've never heard all the times you played it perfectly. They don't care, and they don't understand. And you want to prove it to them that you CAN play well, it's just that one time you messed up cuz you were nervous," Riko said, sitting next to me.

"The thing is, I actually do suck."

"Hey! Didn't you say you were rusty? I'm sure you'll get your skills back really quick. Don't be ashamed… they'll see your skills soon enough. After I'm through with you," Riko chuckled, ruffling my head.

"The thing is…" I started, feeling my face blush. "The thing is… I think I was most ashamed because of you, Riko."

Riko pointed at herself. "M-me? Why?"

"Because- you play piano too… and I thought you would judge me the most…"

"What? I wouldn't judge you most, I would understand most! I know it's hard."

"Yeah, I know. But still, I don't know why, I just felt super embarassed messing up in front of the master Riko."

"Hey. It's okay, Darren-kun," Riko said, taking my hand. "Come on. Let's go to my room."

We went over to Riko's, and went to her room.

"Mom's out for groceries," Riko said. "It'll be a while. Have a seat! I'll get you hot chocolate!" Riko ran out to grab the coco. I sat on the floor in her room nervously. I looked over to her work desk, which was neatly organized. I spotted a pink book- that looked like a diary. Heart racing, I snatched it off the desk and opened it, flipping to a random page.

"NOCTURNE, COME BACK!" and a picture of a dog. LOL. Hey, I wonder if she wrote… about me? I frantically turn through the diary.

"LAST NIGHT I JUST GOT BACK FROM TOKYO. WE GAVE A RIDE TO A BOY WHO SEEMS TO BE A TRANSFER STUDENT FROM AMERICA, ALTHOUGH I'M NOT SURE IF HE IS. HE SEEMED PRETTY AWKWARD THOUGH, BUT HE DIDN'T LOOK TOO BAD."

What? She thought I was awkward? Nooooooo! I turn the pages.

"DARREN CAME OVER TO MY HOUSE TODAY, AND WE ENDED UP ROLLING AROUND ON MY BED, IN A NON-PERVERTED WAY. IT WAS WEIRD BUT CRAZY! ALSO, HOWARD GAVE ME A HUG TODAY AND TOLD ME A VERY SAD STORY ABOUT-"

"Darren-kun! Help me with the door!" Riko said from the hallway. I jumped up and put the diary back where it was, helping Riko through the door. She set down a tray with two mugs of steaming hot chocolate. "Sorry for the wait; please enjoy!"

"Thank you, Riko-chan." Wow, I feel so awkward after prying through her diary. We sat in silence for a while, sipping the coco. "Agghh!" I burned my tongue again!

"Darren-kun! I told you last time, you have to blow it first!" Riko said concernedly, scooting closer so her face was up in mine.

"I'm- sorry…" Outside, it had gotten dark, and rain began to patter against the window. Another awkward silence. "Hey, Riko-chan."

"Hm?"

"Remember what you told me a few weeks ago, after we went shopping for Howard?"

"Yeah."

"Well, why did you say that?"

"Mmm… I guess that was the day I really began to bond with you. I guess."

"Really? Well, I think, at least for me, that the time we began to bond was the first night I got here, when I saw you coming under the streetlight."

"Oh really? We didn't talk much, though, and it was kinda awkward."

"Yeah, I guess, but that doesn't mean we didn't make any connection, no?"

"Mmm." Riko suddenly put down her empty mug and stood up. "Anyway, we better get to work. Come here."

I went over and sat down at the piano chair.

"Okay." Riko sat next to me, and I couldn't help but look at her. He silky hair spilled over her shoulders, and her eyelashes were slightly curled. Her delicate lips were pink, and she smelled like chocolate. She grabbed my hands and placed them on the piano. "Okay, remember your scales? Your keys?"

"Uhhhh…"

"Sigh… that's fine. Let's go over them together. So the key of C major has no sharps or flats. You know what those are, right?"

"Yup."

"Good. F major has one flat. Then it's E flat major, A flat major, and so on. Now, look at Kimi no Kokoro. What key is it in?"

The practice went on like this, with Riko gently guiding and correcting me.

Things were going very well, and I realized that all my worry was for naught. I actually did get my skills back. A few hours later, I played the song pretty great.

"See? I told you, you're actually really good!" Riko said, patting me on the back.

"Well, It was all because of you," I replied. "Seriously, I was trying so hard to please you…" OH NO WHY DID I SAY THAT?

Riko blushed. "Ehh… well, thank you… but you don't have to please me… It's for all of us; all of Aqours. We're gonna win Love Live, right!?"

"Haha yeah. Yup we are. WAIT, didn't you say your mom was just going to get groceries? Why is she not back yet?"

"Oh, no!" Riko pulled out her phone. "Oh, she texted saying that she isn't going to be home tonight, because she has to stay for work."

"Really? That's great! Wait, nevermind sorry ahhh never mind-"

"No, it is great. You can…" Riko stood, scratching the back of her neck. "...stay overnight."

WHAAAAAATTTT?

"Oh. Cool," I replied, trying to act nonchalant but inside my heart was beating rapid-fire. "Your mom must be busy! What happened to your dad?"

Riko turned away, walking to the window.

"Well." She said. Oh, no, I don't think I should have said that. "Um, I-"

"ANYWAYS, HOW'S HOWARD?!" I blurted, trying to change the topic.

"Eh? Howard? Well… He's cute as always. Why do you ask?"

"Well… umm… do you like… like him?"

"What? He's really nice and everything. So… I guess?"

Wait, what? Did beautiful Riko-chan just admit that she liked Howard?

"What? Lol, why on Earth would you like a dude like that?" I asked, feeling an arrow of jealousy pierce my heart.

"Why not? He's probably the sweetest guy I ever met. I don't think you understand, Darren-chan. You're probably just jealous, but I don't think you know what Howard-san is going through."

"Wh-what is he going through?"

Riko continued staring out the window, at the lights blurred by the rain.

"The thing is, basically, Howard is and has always been a great guy. He loved his family, his friends, and everyone. But his mother always had a heart problem, and his father was always out for business. So most of the time, he had to take care of the house, including his two younger sisters. It's not like he was poor, but he had to do everything himself- his father just sent them a check every month. So, this school year, his mother wanted to reward him for being such a great caretaker, and let him come on this study abroad thing. She said she would hire a caretaker for the year. Howard had always wanted to come here, so he finally did. He told his mom before he left, that he would come back as quickly as he could to take care of her. But- the thing is-" Riko choked on her words, and a tear slid down her cheek. I quickly rose to put my hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off. "-the thing is- the day Howard got here, his mom had a heart attack and died."

I didn't know what to say.

"Oh. That's really sad." I tried to sound not sarcastic, but I didn't know what else to say.

"So that's why I feel so bad for him," Riko continued. "He's trying so hard… to be on such an amazing adventure, but to have it all ruined by something that wasn't even his fault. It's so sad… I just wish he could be happier… I understand what he's going through… because I've… gone through it myself. I just-" Riko broke down in tears, and fell to her knees, covering her face with her hands.

"Hey." I knelt down next to her, wrapping my arms around her. "It's okay, Riko-chan."

"It's not! You don't understand!"

"I know. But sometimes it's better if I don't. Because if I do, that means something really bad has to happen to me, too, right? You don't want that to happen, do you?"

"Well, yeah, but… HOWARD!" Riko was bawling. I sat there, unable to comfort her. "Help me, Darren! Please!"

"Wut? Didn't you just say that I didn't understand?"

"Darren!" Riko reached over and swung her arms around me, burying her face in my chest. "Darren…I don't know what to think!"

I put my arms around her, and planted my lips on the top of her head.

"It's okay, Riko. It's okay." We were on the floor in that position for a long time, with Riko's muffled sobs shaking her body. I gently stroked her long, dark hair.

"Darren-kun! Don't leave me, please!" Riko said, voice racked with sobs.

"Don't worry, Riko-chan. I'll always be here for you."  
"That's a lie! You won't be! In a year, you'll be gone, off on the other side of the world! You'll be gone!"

That was true.

"Well." I felt tears come to my eyes. "That's true."

"I know, Darren-kun. I know. That's why- that's why I don't ever want this to end. Ever since you guys came into my life, everything has changed. I never knew that there were such understanding people in this world. Ahh, I don't want want this to end! If only… I had a time machine… and we could just stop it right here, right now." Riko had lifted her head off my chest, and was looking straight into my eyes.

"I know. Things happen that we can't control. It's not Howard's fault that his mother died. And it's none of our faults that time passes. I know, time can be ruthless. Why does everything have to end?" I said. "But time can also be a good thing. If the good times last forever, how are you going to know they're good times? You can't appreciate the good when you don't know the bad, you get me?"

"Yeah…I guess we just have to make the best of the time we have, right?" Riko asked.

"Yeah. It's the only thing we can do. We laugh and cry, but no matter what we do, time still passes. There's only going to be today for today."

Riko laughed. "Darren, you're so understanding." Riko smiled, wiping the tears off her face. "I think we should get to bed soon." She rose. "I'll go prepare some dinner. You take a shower."

"No, It's too late for you to cook," I said. "We'll just go to the convenience store."

"Oh, okay. I'll get an umbrella." The two of us left the house, and entered the night. The rain had weakened, but still beat down relentlessly. Riko opened her umbrella, and we began to walk down the wet sidewalk. She pulled me close under her umbrella, and I felt her body warmth against mine. That walk through the rainy night, with Riko, with the patter of droplets against our umbrella, was a walk I definitely knew I would never forget.

We entered the store, purchasing some onigiri. We munched in silence, sitting at the chairs near the door. After we finished, we left for her house. The rain suddenly stopped, and Riko put away her umbrella.

We arrived at her home, and I let Riko take a shower first. Then I did, and as I did, I thought about everything that had happened today. I didn't even care that I was using Riko's shower or anything, I just felt so many different emotions. After I was finished, I helped Riko set up a futon next to her bed. I crawled in, and Riko turned out the light.

"Night, Riko."

Riko lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Riko?"

"Mm. Night, Darren. Thank you."

* * *

 **...** ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****


	16. 16: Yumedake

16: Yumedake

"Breakfast is ready!" Riko's clear voice rang, as she carried a tray of food into her room. She set it down on the table. I rubbed my tired eyes.

"Cookies? That's it?" I said, looking at the plate of chocolate chip cookies and glass of milk on the table.

"Well, yeah… I baked them myself, the day before yesterday! Here! Ahhh…!~" Riko bent down and put a cookie in my mouth.

"Nom nom! Wow, it's delicious!" I exclaimed.

"Heheh, I'm glad you like it!" Riko sung, sitting down next to me. She was still wearing her nightgown, which had a little rose right below her collar. She took out a brush and began to brush her hair. Gulp.

"Did you eat yet?" I asked. "Here!" I popped a cookie into her mouth, and she was caught off guard. A wad of her hair was accidentally stuffed into her mouth along with the cookie.

"Mmpph! Darren-chan! Psffftthhh!" She blew the hairs out of her mouth and swallowed the cookie. "Ahh, I wasn't ready!"

"Haha sorry!" I replied. Suddenly, someone barged through the door. It was Takami Chika.

"Darren-chan!" She called, hands on hips.

"Uh- I can explain!" I stuttered, getting to my feet in a panic.

"Chika-chan! It's okay!" Riko blushed, also jumping to her feet.

"It's alright! It's alright!" Chika said, sighing. "I already knew you were gonna be here. But that's okay! I'll leave you two be. In the future, If you wanna stay at Riko's, you're welcome to!" Chika winked and turned away.

"Wait! What are you suggesting?" I asked. "I hope you don't think we're doing anything weird, 'cause Riko likes Howard." Chika stopped in her tracks.

"Riko-chan? You- you- AHH I knew that already! It's okay. No, I was just saying that you two must have been practicing a lot of piano. That's all! By the way, have you improved, at all?" Chika replied.

"Yeah! Listen!" I jumped to the piano and began to play.

"Wow!" Chika remarked, half-dancing to my melody. "Amazing! Riko, what magic did you do?"

"Oh, it's not magic! It's just me!" Riko smiled, waving her hands in front of her.

"Whatever you're doing, keep doing it. We'll have a competent band in no time!"

* * *

"Okay, Darren-san?" Yukio asked.

"Wh-what? Sorry, I wasn't listening!" I replied. I was very distracted, because at the front of the classroom, Riko was just sitting in Howard's lap. He was holding her and brushing her hair. She was all blushing. EWWWWW! Then I remembered the very sad story Riko told me about last night. Ughh, it's so sad, yet I still feel so annoyed at him! Like I know he's probably a good guy, and he's just really depressed, but I just can't stand him being with Riko like that, you know? Urgh! Why doesn't he go and do that to Emerald or something? I could care less!

"Darren-san?"

"Ahhhh what did you say again?"

"I was wondering if you could come with me to buy an electric guitar after school today."

"Oh, yes! I'd love to!" I replied enthusiastically.

"Hey, what about me!?" Kent interjected. "I play bass, so I'm still much more educated in that field than Darren over here."

"Ehe… well… okay!" Yukio replied.

"Really? We might as well just invite Emerald too, so our entire band can go together!" I said, annoyed.

"Good idea! I'll go ask her!" Yukio exclaimed. Sigh.

During P.E. today, we ran. We had a foot race, and apparently the mean P.E. teacher made the boys do it separately, so it would be "fair". So there I was, neck and neck with Howard and Kent, sprinting towards the finish line.

"Ganbatte!" The girls squealed all around us.

"I'm gonna win!" I screamed, sprinting forward with all my might. The people around us became a blur, and the only thing I could feel was the wind on my face.

"No, you're not, Darren!" Howard cried back. What, he remembers my name?

"Watch out, Howard! Here I come!" I bound past him. Kent was falling behind.

"You hear those girls, Darren! They're cheering for me! For me!" Howard shouted.

"No, I think not! They're all for me!" I shot back, sweat streaking down my face.

"Listen, then!"

"GO Howard! Howard, ganbatte!" IT WAS RIKO'S VOICE AHHHHHHH! CHEERING FOR HOWARD! NOOOOO! My heart pierced like an arrow, I suddenly tripped and flew to the floor, crashing in a pile of pity. Howard and Kent sped past me, past the finish line. Ugh.

"Darren! Are you okay!?" You, Chika, Riko, and Yukio came running over, helping me up.

"Ugh… no…" I looked down, and my knees were bleeding. "S***."

I was brought to the nurse's office, where the girls hastily put bandages on my wounds (they insisted on doing it, instead of having the nurse do it).

"Ahh, thanks guys!" I said.

"Wow, what happened? I thought you were going to win, but you just suddenly tripped!" You exclaimed.

"Well, I think it was because _you_ called out for Howard," I said, pointing at Riko.

"Me?" She asked, surprised. "Why?"

"I don't know! It just is, okay?!" I replied awkwardly.

"Did someone call for me?" Howard's voice sounded as he walked in.

"Howard? What are you doing here?" Riko asked.

"Checking on Darren. Darren, that was so sad! You actually fell because they were cheering for me?" Howard chuckled.

"Uh. Well, yeah."

"That's pretty sad. Anyway, I heard from Riko that you're going to play piano for Aqours. Right?" Howard asked, smiling. I could tell from his eyes that it was fake.

"Yeah? Why?" I asked, feeling defensive. It's really hard to control my hostility towards him, even when I know his backstory.

"Well, I can play the piano as well. I've won quite a few competitions, too, you know. So. How good are you?" Howard crossed his arms.

I felt my heartbeat race.

"Good enough." I didn't like this guy's attitude. We stared each other down for like fifteen seconds, as if shooting at each other with laser beams from our eyes.

"Well," Howard said, turning and ruffling Chika's hair, "Chika-chan, if you ever need some help, you can call me." Howard left.

"Wh-what? Howard plays piano? Riko, did you know about this? Doesn't that mean that we should just replace me with him?" I frantically exclaimed.

Riko kept her eyes to the floor. The other girls looked to her.

"Well, yeah. I knew he played piano." Riko looked at me for a second, then returned her eyes to the floor. "And yes, he is really good. To be honest, much better than Darren-san. It's just, I didn't ask him because… I wanted to give Darren-chan a chance."

"Wh-what?" I replied. "Riko-chan. If you knew, you should have just asked him! I'm just bringing all of you down!"

"But- don't you want to play with us?"

"Of course I do! It's just… why would you pick me when there's someone so much more suited for the job?"

"Well… because… because I care about you, Darren." Riko anxiously pressed her fingers together.

"What? But _he's_ your crush!"

"Well, If you don't want the position, we can just ask Howard to replace you," You interjected, "It's going to be a hard struggle, so you can still opt out now, while you have the chance. I don't want you to kill yourself."

I stood up and held Riko by the shoulders. She kept her eyes glued to the floor.

"Riko-chan."

"Yes?"

"Thank you. Thank you for giving me this chance. Since you've given me this chance, I'll make the most of it. I will try my best. I won't let you all down. I will keep trying, until I'm better than Howard. I'll show all of you. We'll make our dream come true. Together, we're gonna win Love Live!" I exclaimed.

"Y-yes, Darren. It's that determination. That's why I wanted you instead of Howard for the piano. I like your determination," Riko said quietly.

"Okay, Darren-chan! I hope you'll try your best!" Chika interrupted. "But if you still can't do it, we can always get Howard."

"Don't worry. I can do it," I replied. "I will do it."

* * *

"Wait, so you're saying that Howard can… replace you?" Yukio asked. Yukio, Kent, Emerald, and I were getting off the train at Numazu Station.

"Yeah. But I'm not going to let that happen There's no way I'm gonna let that girl-stealer take my spot!" I said with determination.

"Wait… why is he a girl-stealer?" Kent asked.

"Ummmmm… well…" Uhhhh I shouldn't have said that. "Um, well, you know! He's like… that type of guy!"

"Dude. I know, but whose girl did he steal?" Kent questioned.

"Um… no one's! He didn't steal anyone!"

"Yo Darren, you sounded pretty jealous when you called Howard that. Could it be…?" Emerald pondered with a smirk on her face.

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? ANYWAYSSSSS…. what were we doing again?" I interrupted.

"Bro stop trying to avoid the question. You jealous because Howard and Riko are together?" Kent said.

"Look, forget everything I just said. Are we gonna go buy that guitar or what? It's gonna be dark soon," I said, walking faster. Uggggghhhh why do I keep saying all these random things that's making everyone suspicious of me? SIGHHHHHH. Before any of them could say anything more, I asked a random guy on the street if he knew where the instrument store was. He gave me the directions, and apparently it was at the mall I went to with Riko a few weeks ago. I thanked him and began to walk quickly to the mall.

"Darren! Slow down, man! Why are you so awkward today?" Kent shouted after me.

"What? That's the way I've always been! Hey guys, can you read the map for me?"

"Bro."

"Okay, Kent-chan. You don't need to keep bothering him about it," Yukio said. She walked over to me and looked at the map display. "Well, it looks like it's on the basement floor. Let's go!"

The four of us made our way to the escalator that would take us below ground.

"Hey, that's a great ramen place," Yukio said as we passed by the ramen bar that Riko and I went to. "We should get some ramen later."

"Yeah! That place is really good," I replied.

"Wait, you've been there already?" Emerald asked.

"Yup! With Riko!"

The others cast glances at each other.

"Woahh…" Kent remarked. "I never knew… so… RIKO IS DOUBLE DATING!?"

"Bruh! It's not like that, okay?" I was really getting fed up with all this teasing, so I decided to make it clear. "Look, let's get this straight. I don't have a crush on Riko. Okay? Done."

"Aww… such a buzzkill… whatever," Kent said disappointedly. We found the instrument store and walked in. There was a cacophony of sound, banging drums, electric guitar riffs, and trumpets blaring.

"Do you need anything today?" The staff member approached us.

"Um, well, I'm looking for an electric guitar," Yukio said.

"This way!" We followed the staff to a large collection of guitars in all different shapes and sizes, hung on the walls.

"Wow, there's so many," Yukio remarked.

"Which one do you like?" Emerald asked.

"Ah, I don't know! There's so many choices!"

"I think this one fits you," I said, taking a baby blue and white guitar off the wall. Yukio took it in her hands, and strummed.

"Hmm… well, it is pretty good… I really like the color! Wow, how did you know baby blue was my favorite color, Darren-san?"

"Well… I just felt it… I dunno."

"Nah… I think pink fits you," Kent said, giving her a pink guitar.

"Eh? How did you know I like pink too?" Yukio gave the blue one back to me and tried out the pink one.

"You just seem like a pink person, cuz you know, you're so sweet and all," Kent said suavely.

"Eh? Really? Well, thank you very much!"

"Pfffftttt!" Emerald sounded. "Oh my gosh, you guys are so cheesy. Your pick-up-lines are trash, Kent!"

"That wasn't a pick-up-line! It was the truth!" Kent objected.

"Well, that's even worse! If that's what you consider suave, then you're hopeless."

"Can you do any better? Huh?"

"Watch." Emerald approached Yukio, with a swagger. She backed Yukio to the wall, placing a hand on it. Yukio looked extremely confused and frightened.

"E-Emerald-san? Wh-what are you doing?" Yukio stuttered.

"Hey," Emerald said cooly. "I think that green guitar suits you. You dig?"

"Eh-eh? Well, it is pretty, but- what are you doing?"

"Here." Emerald reached over and took the green guitar off the shelf, slowly placing it in Yukio's hands while standing super close to her. Yukio's knees were literally shaking.

"Okay, okay! You win!" Kent blurted, and Emerald backed off, smiling. "Don't scare Yukio baby like that!"

"Wh-what? Kent, did you just call Yukio 'baby'?" Emerald said in disbelief.

"Err-"

"Ayyyyy, Kent! I ship it, bro!" I teased. "Just get married already!"

"No, no! It's fine; Kent didn't mean anything by it. He's called Kent baby, and I'm Yukio baby! It's no big deal," Yukio said hastily.

"HAH nice cover up," I shot.

"Yeah, who the f*** calls each other that when they aren't even like dating?" Emerald joined.

Suddenly, a man wearing a black suit approached us.

"Ahem. Excuse me, but would you four happen to be part of a band?" He asked, smiling.

"Eh-eh? Um, yes, we are," Emerald replied.

"That's great! Are you a foreigner? You seem to have an accent."

"Well, yeah, I am. But Yukio here isn't."

We all introduced ourselves. He was called "Nikaido-san".

"You are probably wondering who I am," Nikaido said. "I work with a music agency. I'm here scouting out bands that have potential, and we might consider sponsoring you. Would you care to show me some of your performance?"

We looked at each other. Wow. Someone is actually trying to scout us?

"Guys? Let's do this," I said.

"Yeah. You better not mess up," Kent said.

"It's worth a shot," Emerald said.

"Let's do this!" Yukio finished, grabbing the baby blue guitar I gave to her.

We went over to the small performance stage, complete with keyboard and drum set. Kent didn't bring his bass, so he picked a golden colored one to use. After we had set up, some staff members announced that we were performing a live show.

"Wait, what? He didn't say this would be publicized!" Emerald objected.

"It's too late- look!" Kent said, pointing. A large crowd was pouring in the door, coming toward our stage.

"Oh no, what do we do?" I said in a panic.

"Just- smile and wave!" Yukio replied, calling out to the audience and waving.

My heart beat fast. Am I ready for this? It was so sudden!

"Who's gonna sing? The other nine aren't with us!"

"Um, I'll try my best," Yukio said nervously. "Alright, here we go!" The audience had settled around us, and the lights were turned down.

"Ahem. Hello, everyone! My name is Tsushima Yukio, and this is my band. Today, we'll be performing 'Kimi no Kokoro Wa Kagayaiteru Kai?'. We will try our best, so please support us! S-sore de wa, kiite kudasai." A round of applause and cheers rose from the crowd, and Yukio turned and nodded at me.

Heart thumping, I counted off- then blazed through the scale perfectly, bringing in Yukio's guitar strum.

"Ima mirai, kaete mitaku natta you! Datte bokutachi wa mada yume ni kidzuita bakari!" She sang, in a beautiful, smooth voice. Kent and Emerald came in, their steady beat pulsing through the verse. I looked over at Emerald as I mashed those keys, and she nodded, smiling. Kent gave me a thumbs up, and Yukio turned slightly as she sang, giving me a wink. I felt goosebumps rise on my skin as our individual sounds threaded into one. I couldn't help but smile.

"Hai! Hai! Hai!" The crowd cheered, doing their wotagei along with our music. As we came to the chorus, I felt a rush of excitement as I played my heart out. I never knew playing music could feel so good. Halfway through the song, I think all of us thought of the same problem- who would do the duet with her? Normally there would be a Chika and Riko duet after the bridge, but we only have one singer! We looked at each other, terrified. Then I knew what I must do. I pointed at myself.

Emerald looked worried, but nodded. Yukio was busy facing the audience, and didn't see. But I could hear the nervousness in her voice.

After the bridge, Yukio's chest rose and she began to sing the duet- where I joined in. She suddenly turned to look at me, eyes wide open in surprise. I smiled at her, and continued singing. Regaining her confidence, Yukio smiled back and finished off strong. The crowd screamed with approval, and we were all breathing hard, especially Yukio.

"That was amazing!" Someone screamed.

"Thank you! Thank you, everyone!" Yukio said, bowing.

"You should make all your songs duets with you two! Your voices blend so well with each other!" Someone shouted.

Yukio looked at me and smiled nervously, blushing. I blushed too.

"Well, that'll be all for tonight, so thank you everyone!" She announced.

"Wait! What's the name of your band!?" A bunch of people asked. Oh no. Yukio looked to us for help. We were all caught in trouble.

"Errr- emm- Yumedake!" Yukio shouted. Where'd she come up with that!?

"Our band is called Yumedake! It's made up of the first two letters of our names- Yukio, Emerald, Darren, and Kent, except the 'em' in 'Emerald' is switched around- making 'Yumedake'!" (meaning "Only Dream" in Japanese). After another round of cheering and applause, the room began to clear out. We got off stage and spontaneously had a big group hug.

"Great job, everyone!" Yukio cheered.

"Yeah!" We said in unison.

"Wow, how'd you come up with that clever name so fast!?" I asked.

"I dunno… intuition, I guess!" Yukio replied. Nikaido came walking over.

"Great job, kids. Very great job indeed." He took out a paper with a bunch of lines and contract stuff. "I think it would be wise to sponsor this band. It has a lot of potential. Here, sign this. We'll be sure to provide you with plenty of concert venues to become known."

"Woah… really?" Kent remarked.

"Thank you so much," Yukio said, signing the paper.

"Dude, this is awesome! We're a real, sponsored band now!" I cried in excitement, as the four of us ate ramen at the restaurant.

"I know right?! It's crazy!" Emerald agreed.

"Man, I'm a real cool kid now!" Kent shouted.

"I'm so glad we got this opportunity," Yukio contemplated. "We did so well. I'm really happy. I felt us all connect, you know, when we played the song together."

"Yeah, I did too!" I said.

"Yeah, me too!" Both Kent and Emerald added.

"Wow, I love you guys," Yukio said, laughing. Her face was all red and she was all loose, unlike her usual self. High on sake? I think not. More like kizuna (bond)! Lol.

We finished our dinner, and laughed with each other all the way home.

"Let's go, Yumedake!" We cheered.

* * *

 **It was amazing playing with my new band. I can't wait to play more music, along with Aqours! I'm determined to succeed. No matter what challenges lie ahead of us, I know we'll make it.**

 ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****


	17. 17: An Aqours Thanksgiving

17: An Aqours Thanksgiving

 **Hi everyone! Thank you for supporting my story this far, and please, please keep the reviews coming! Please tell your friends about my story, and stick with me to the end! I hope you like my take on Ruby's other side~! Tell me what you think of it. Please enjoy this lighthearted chapter, and leave a review! Have a happy Thanksgiving!**

* * *

"That's… amazing! You guys actually got sponsored?" Chika said in disbelief.

"Yup. Crazy, right? We're an actual band now!" I replied.

"Well that's great. But we have to step it up for our LL performances. Love Live won't wait for us," Dia said. Today, we successfully practiced three new songs, "Aozora Jumping Heart", "Mijuku Dreamer", and "Koi ni Naritai AQUARIUM". Yukio had ended up buying the baby blue guitar, and Kent decided to buy the gold bass. Emerald also purchased new drumsticks, which had emerald green handles.

"You guys are doing great! I'm so proud!" Mari announced. "I've already sent the order for custom sweatshirt hoodies for you guys! Look, here's the design, specially illustrated by our very own Sakurauchi Riko!" Mari held up a paper with a front and back picture of a white hoodie. The front had a chest emblem which was a capital "Y" with a curve connecting the right arm and the foot, forming "YD". My jaw dropped when I saw the back. It had chibi drawings of the four of us. RIKO'S DRAWINGS!

"Ahhh! You actually ordered it?!" Riko exploded, trying to snatch the paper from Mari's hand, but failing.

"Of course!" Mari replied.

"What?! Why? It's sooooo ugly!" Riko whined.

"No, it isn't!" I objected. "I think it's really cute!"

"R-really? Oh." Riko nervously brushed her hair.

"Seriously? Mari, come on! Those look too girlish!" Kent said.

"Hey, you're basically an all-girl band!" Mari replied.

"What? It's two guys and two girls!"

"HM? DID YOU SAY SOMETHING!?" Mari answered loudly.

"Pshhh, tbh, I don't even consider you two guys," Emerald announced.

"But dude, I really like the sweaters. We wouldn't have been able to make any ourselves," I said. "Thanks so much!"

"Bruh, I can draw better than that!" Emerald objected.

"HEY, HEY!" Mari shouted, interrupting the argument. "I remember, last year, when I was in America, we celebrated Thanksgiving! Darren, Emerald, why aren't you two excited or anything?! Like, I remembered I got to eat the BIG TURKEY AND THE BIG HAM! ALL RIGHT!"

Emerald and I looked at each other, faces blank.

"Da Faq?" Emerald blurted.

"Uhhhhh, dude, you ever even celebrate Thanksgiving, Emerald?" I asked her.

"Lol nope! Only during elementary school, at school! When we made those paper turkeys, you know?"

"DUDE SAMMEEEEEE! Sorry, Mari, but the two of us don't even do much on Thanksgiving…" I said.

"WHAT? HOW CAN IT BE!? But you're 'Murican'!?" Mari shouted.

"Thankusu-givingu- what's that?" You pondered aloud.

"Basically, you eat turkey and give thanks," Kent informed her. "Those Americans and their weird traditions."

"Oh, we have something like that too, called Labor Thanksgiving Day! But we don't really do anything. Wow, what's a turkey?" You asked.

"Emerald, I want to cry," I said.

"Lol, me too. Come one, we gotta let You try turkey," she replied.

"Zura? I never had turkey either," Maru piped.

"Me neither," Ruby joined. Then everyone else, except for Mari.

"Ee-hhhhhh…?"

"Well, IT'S A PERFECT! WE GOING HAVE THANKSGIVING DINNER!" Mari announced.

"Seriously? Where are we gonna find a turkey?" I said.

"I know right? I'm pretty sure they don't sell it anywhere," Emerald agreed.

"Alright! Here, I'll write a list," Kanan said, taking out a paper and pen. "Tell me foods we need."

"Uhhhh…" Emerald and I contributed a large list of foods. "Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, bacon, peas, broccoli, brussel sprouts-"

"Eww no brussel sprouts!" I interrupted- "cranberry sauce, bread, stuffing, pies…"

"How are we going to buy all this stuff?" Dia said.

"That's all right! I'll pay for it!" Mari said gleefully, taking out a giant wad of cash and distributing it. "We can split up to get the items!"

"Great idea!" Chika cheered. "I can get mikan jam!"

"Right!" I said. "Emerald and I can pick the turkey."

"But who's going to pick the ham? We need Emerald's help," Mari said.

"I can go with you," Emerald offered.

"Great! Now, we'll split up the rest."

Guess what? I got partnered with KUROSAWA RUBY. WHAT.

"PIGIIIII!" Ruby squealed, hiding behind Dia.

"Go!" Dia commanded her.

"H-hi, Ruby! I won't bite," I tried to say sweetly.

Ruby took a deep breath, fingering her twintails. She slowly inched forward, eyes glued to the floor. After taking a hundred mini steps, she planted herself beside me, hands folded together, head lowered.

"Hi, Ruby!" I held out a hand.

She slowly, slowly took my hand, face scarlet red.

I looked up, and the whole room was holding its breath, everyone's eyes trained on us.

"AWWWWWW! KAWAII!" Everyone cheered.

"IIIYAAAAAAA!" Ruby squealed, grabbing my hand and running out the door, dragging me along. We ran all the way to the bus stop, where she let go of my hand, panting.

"Ruby! Wow, what was that?" I asked in shock.

"Ummmm! H-hiiiii~!" She said, smiling timidly. "I'm Ruby, if you don't know, and I'm- I'm really glad to meet you and- pigiiiiiii!" Ruby leaped in the air, turning to see the rest of Aqours catch up.

"Ruby-chan! What are you doing?" Dia called.

"Ah- nothing! The- the bus is coming!" Ruby replied.

The bus came pulling over, and Ruby quickly hopped on. I followed her, very confused. We sat down, and the others followed suit.

"What's wrong, Ruby-chan?" I asked. Ruby looked very startled when I called her "chan".

"Zura, she's just nervous, zura! This is the first time she's talked to a boy, zura!" Hanamaru said from across the aisle.

Oh yeah, I just remembered. Ruby never talks to any guys. If the other girls barely talk to guys, then Ruby… I'm the first guy to talk to Ruby!

"Oh, really?" I replied, acting as if I didn't know.

"Yes, zura! She's extremely nervous around boys, but she likes it! Ruby-chan, ganbatte!" Hanamaru looked over and smiled, pumping her fist in the air. Ruby looked away nervously, out the window. Ugh, I'm not good around shy people, mostly because I'm shy myself…

We got off at Numazu, and went to the largest supermarket in town.

"Ahh, here! My family uses this place for our hotel," Mari said. "It's really expensive. There's five floors!" Now that's a big supermarket. We took a look at the map.

"Hmm… deli section- fifth floor? Ruby, let's go!" I said. We all split up, and Ruby followed me to the elevators, which were gold-colored. The whole market was bustling with people, and the shelves and walls were all adorned with gold designs. Ruby and I shuffled into the corner of the elevator, where many other people followed. As we were going up, this creepy man turned and grinned at Ruby, lifting his arm as if to pat her on the head. He stuck his tongue out.

Ruby squealed and clung to my arm. The man's eyes met mine, and he grinned awkwardly.

"Hey!" I shouted. "Watch what you're doing, pervert! Get outta here!" I pulled Ruby behind me. "Don't worry, Ruby! I'll protect you!"

Everyone in the elevator was just staring.

"I wasn't doing anything! You must be the pervert, thinking in that way!" The man replied, laughing.

"Dude, go get a life! What are you, fifty years old!?" I spat.

"Hah! Who are you to talk to an elder like that, high schooler! You don't even speak Japanese properly; get the f*** outta my country!" Okay I got super triggered, and wanted to punch him in the face, but the elevator stopped at the fifth floor. Not wanting to get into bigger trouble, I grabbed Ruby by the hand and left the elevator. Just as we were leaving, Ruby let out a scream. I turned, and the man had grabbed her by the skirt, trying to pull her away. In a flash, I rolled up my sleeves- but Ruby beat me to it. She suddenly turned, doing a roundhouse kick striking right into his groin.

"AHHUGHUGHUGHUGHHGUHGUGH!" The man screamed in pain, letting go. He fell back into the elevator, and the doors closed just in time.

"Wow, Ruby! Where'd you learn to do that!?"

"Sis, of course! Urgh, this is why I hate boys!" Ruby said angrily. Wow, I've never seen Ruby like this.

"Man, that guy deserved it. So, the real reason you don't talk to guys is because of that? Not because you're shy?"

"Well, that's what I thought… But I guess not all boys are bad," She said softly, poking my arm. "Thank you, Darren-san."

"Oh, it's fine. I'll do anything to protect you from bad guys."

"Great! Now let's go find that… T-t…"

"Turkey."

"Turkey! Let's go, Darren-chan!" Ruby cheered, pulling me along. Wow, Ruby with boys is really different from normal Ruby. We went over to the meat section, where the butchers were cutting fresh meat and fish.

"Ah, excuse me?" I asked the butcher. "Do you have turkey here?"

"Turkey? Sorry, but we don't," he replied.

"Aww. Thanks. Come on, they don't have it!" I said to Ruby.

"Hm? Then what's that! It's a really big chicken!" Ruby pointed over the counter, where a butcher was taking a giant turkey meat into a door leading behind the scenes.

"Bro, that guy lied! They do have turkey! Hey butcher, that's a turkey right there, being taken away! I want to buy one!"

"Sorry sir, we don't sell those here."

"So, what's that doing here!? Want me to sue you?"

"Bro, calm down! The turkey is specially reserved for the Ohara Hotel, so we can't sell it to customers. If they have extras, you might be able to auction for it."

"Auction!? Come on, we don't have all day! Besides, I'm with Ohara! I'm friends with Ohara Mari. She'll come punish you if you make me mad."

"Haha, try me bro. A loser like you could never get that hot blonde!" The butcher laughed. He had a stubble beard and a crooked grin.

"Mari's gonna beat you up!" Ruby piped. "Of course Darren-chan can get her; he can get anyone! Give us the turkey!"

"Woah, you tell'em, Ruby!" HAHA the butcher's face when Ruby told him off!

"DID SOMEONE CALL FOR MEEE?"

Mari appeared next to us, along with Emerald, whose hands were folded across her chest. Mari was carrying a large ham.

"Mari- _CHAN_! This guy won't give me a tukey because he doesn't believe I'm sent by the Oharas!" I said. Mari frowned, looking at the butcher. She plopped the ham onto the counter.

"It is I, Ohara Mari. Did you disrespect my friend?"

"AHH, SORRY! TRULY SORRY!" The butcher's face hit the floor, bowing to Mari like twenty times. "Mari-sama, please forgive me!"

HAHAHA Ruby, Emerald and I burst out laughing.

"That's fine, give me the turkey, please," Mari said all prim and proper.

"H-hai! G-get the turkey!" the butcher shouted. "The plumpest, best one!"

A moment later, we were walking out of the store, a giant turkey in my bag. The rest of Aqours met up with us.

"All right! Mission complete!" Ruby cheered, giving me a high five, then a fist bump.

"R-Ruby!" Dia said, completely taken aback.

"Pigi!" Ruby suddenly realized that everyone else was there, and became super shy again.

"Z-zura? ZURA!" Hanamaru exclaimed, giggling. Dia's face doh.

Ruby was super embarrassed.

"Don't worry, Ruby! Keep it up!" Maru cheered, patting her on the head. Ruby blushed. "You'll have them after you in crowds!"

"Wait, Hanamaru-chan- did she ever tell you that she didn't talk to boys because she didn't like them and their nastiness?"

"Oh, yes, zura. That's true, most of the time- but she loves boys who are very nice, zura. She thought they were only in movies, though! But judging from the way she's acting, you're one of the nice guys too! Zura!"

"IYYAAAAAAA MARU! Ruby grabbed Hanamaru, shaking her. "Don't tell him that!"

"Oi... " Dia had a bewildered and defeated expression on her face. HAHAHA~!

The thirteen of us made it back to Uchiura, where You's boat took us to Mari's hotel. We went to the grand dining hall, adorned with glittering chandeliers and gold.

"Don't worry, my cooks will prepare all the food!" Mari announced.

"What? Then what was the whole point in getting the ingredients ourselves?" I said. "You could have just told them to make everything!"

"Yes, I think, we should make it ourselves! Because this is Thanksgiving, and we're a family, right?" Ruby stated.

Mari, taken aback, agreed. "Okay… TIME TO COOK!"

We hit the kitchen, using Google to figure out all the instructions. Wow, cooking the turkey was a very big responsibility. It had to be just right- I spent a long time searching up Youtube videos about cooking turkeys. I looked over at Mari and Emerald.

"Look, it's our SHINY EMERALD HAM!" Mari announced, unveiling their ham, which was covered in green glittery frosting stars.

"Ahh, what are you doing!? You don't put frosting on ham! Emerald, why didn't you stop her!?"

"Hey, it's worth a try!" Emerald replied. Sigh; at least it wasn't Stewshine.

"You's Yousoro Yams!" You announced, taking a tray of yams out of the oven.

"Y-yams!?" I said in shock. "That wasn't even on the list!"

"Well, I couldn't find potatoes, so…" You replied, scratching her neck.

"HOW DO YOU NOT FIND POTATOES BUT FIND YAMS!?"

"Ehe- I guess, I just wanted to make a clever name!" You smiled. SIGH.

"Maru's Moldy Mac and Cheese!" Hanamaru piped, displaying a tray of mac and cheese.

"M-MOLDY?"

"Yeah! It's specially aged cheese! They didn't even have regular cheese, because the market was so advanced. MIRAI, ZURA!"

I facepalmed myself. "Why… is everyone… making puns… about… food…"

When we finally finished cooking, We set the food on the long, rectangular dining table. The turkey was nice and juicy looking, adorned with Chika's Cranberry Mikan Sauce.

Okay, I'm just gonna go ahead and say it.

Dia's Delicious Donuts, Yohane's Yolky Yogurt, Kanan's Krispy Karaage, Riko's Really Runny Rice Noodles, Ruby's Ricotta Radishes, Yukio's Yandere Yakitori, and Kent's Ketchupy Kasserole (whatever a casserole is anyway).

Sorry.

SERIOUSLY WHY DID EVERYONE HAVE TO BUT ALL THIS RANDOM STUFF JUST TO MAKE FUNNY NAMES?

"SO, DARREN! What are you going to name your dish?" Mari asked.

"Eww, I'm not like you guys. Ah, whatever. Darren's Dank Turkey!"

The room was silent.

"That's not funny, bro," Kent announced.

"Fine. Aqours' Amazing Turkey. That sounds about right."

"Wow, you're so thoughtful! It should be that way! We're all a family. This is our turkey, our meal! Oh my gosh, Darren~!" Chika gave me a big hug.

"Yeah, that's right! We're supposed to give thanks on Thanksgiving, right? Well, I'm thankful for all of you. My family," You stated.

"Darren-chan, I'm thankful for you!" Ruby said across the table. Everyone fell silent.

"R-Ruby-chan!" Dia said.

"Of course, sis, I'm thankful for you, too. But this is Thanksgiving. I can thank my real family anytime! But my Aqours family- I don't have forever. So, I'm thankful for all of you. Especially Darren, for your help today." Ruby ripped the leg off the turkey and ran over to me.

"R-Ruby, what are you doing!?" I asked, startled.

"Ahhhh~!" Ruby sang, feeding me the turkey leg. I took a bite-

"It's delicious!"

"Awwwwww!" Everyone cooed, at the super kawaii Ruby offering me the turkey leg.

"Happy Thanksgiving~!" Ruby cheered.

* * *

 **Aww, what a heartwarming night. Wow, Ruby really opened up to me today! Her other side is really different! P.S., those alliterations were really hard to come up with! :)**

 ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****


	18. 18: Guilty Kiss

18: Guilty Kiss

 **Hey everyone! I hope you all had a great week, and please enjoy my next chapter! It's getting spicy! Please continue to leave reviews and share this story!**

"Chika-chan! Chika-chan! Look at this!" You cried, running through the door. Chika and I were chilling in the lobby of her ryokan, watching TV.

"What is it, You-chan?" Chika inquired. You put her hands on her knees, catching her breath. She held out a flyer.

"Look!" The flyer had a picture of an amusement park filled with Christmas decorations. "It says that the Shizuoka Sea Park wants bands to perform for their Christmas Festival! We need to audition, though. The deadline is still a few weeks away. We have to do this!" You was really excited, and jumped up and down.

"Yeah! That looks like something we can do," Chika agreed.

"Look," I said, pointing to the print at the bottom of the paper. "It's looking for rock bands. Which means Aqours can't perform."

"What? Oh… yeah… Wow, you can read that, Darren-chan? Well, I guess Yumedake can go," Chika said disappointedly.

"Well that sucks. But I don't think we'll have time, because the Love Live regionals are next week at Tokyo!" You exclaimed, suddenly nervous. "We seriously have to get practicing!"

"Yeah, that's true-" I was cut off as the door opened, revealing Riko in the doorway. A freezing gust poured into the room. "-ahhh shut the door! Why is it soooo cold today?" I shivered, rubbing my arms.

"Oh yeah, it's snowing!" You said, suddenly remembering. "I know! It's actually snowing!"

"WHAT?" Chika and I said in unison.

"I HAVE NEVER TOUCHED SNOW BEFORE!" I scream, jumping to my feet and sprinting out the door, smashing my shoulder into Riko on accident.

"Iyyyaaaaa!" The surprised Riko cried out, stumbling and falling backward.

"AH RIKO SORRY!" I quickly caught her as she fell, but her weight sent us tumbling into the snow.

"Mmmmmf!" Riko's face was covered in snow.

"Sorry, Riko-chan!" I cried. The snow soaked into the back of my pjs, and Riko was on top of me.

"Ah, Darren! Watch where… you're… going…" Riko's voice trailed off as she turned her body and her eyes met mine. I felt my face warm up as I gazed into her clear brown eyes. Riko's cheeks were pink, and her breath came out as steam in the cold winter air.

"Um… are you guys okay?" You asked, squatting down next to us. She was wearing a blue jacket and scarf, and had a gray beanie atop her dark locks.

"Ah! Yes!" Riko exclaimed, scrambling to her feet. I laid there, embarrassed. You giggled.

"You're such a bad boy, Darren-kun," You said slyly, quickly bending over and kissing me on the cheek.

"Ehhh? You-chan!?" I exclaimed, sitting up in the snow.

"Teehee!" You giggled, shrugging.

"Y-You-chan! C-calm yourself!" Riko said in shock. "Watanabe You, did you really just do that? Apologize to Darren-chan right now!" Riko's face was like her diamond-face in the anime! She crossed her arms.

"What's going on?" Chika asked, walking out of the house, dressed in winter clothes.

"You-chan just kissed Darren-chan!" Riko cried in horror. I touched the spot where You had kissed me, blushing. You just stood there, staring and smiling, hands folded in front of her.

"You-chan!?" Riko said exasperatedly, grabbing You and shaking her. "Apologize!"

"Why? Are you jealous, Riko-chan?" You replied, patting Riko on the head.

"Ehhhhh…. This is really weird," Chika remarked. "Snowball fight!" She screamed, pelting a snowball right into You's face.

"Auuughhhh!" You retaliated, and Riko and I joined in. Soon we were laughing and tossing snowballs all over.

"Ahahahah! Finally something that's new to you guys, too!" I shouted, smashing a snowball into Chika's chest.

"Yeah, I know! We basically never have snow here, either," she replied.

"Hey, look! It's Yukio-chan!" You cried, pointing at the street, where Yukio was riding along on her bike. "Everyone attack!" The four of us instantly unloaded a barrage of snowballs at Yukio, who quickly lost control of her bike as the snowballs took her by surprise.

"Yyaaaaaaa!" She screamed, jumping off her bike before she crashed. "Guys! That's not funny!" she said as we burst into laughter. Yukio walked over with her bike. She was in a gray coat and a white scarf. She had on jeans and beige boots. Her long hair blew in the wind, and she raised a mittened hand to push it down. "Morning," she said. "Are you guys ready for the regionals?"

"I hope," Chika replied.

"Oh yeah, I have a performance for Yumedake," I said, handing her the flyer.

"Wow, that's great," Yukio replied, reading it. "Well, the other girls can't perform with us…"

"That's okay; we'll cheer you on from the audience!" Riko said.

"Please don't say we're going to perform 'Jingle Bells ga Tomaranai' or 'Seinaru hi no inori'," I said.

"Haha I don't know," Yukio replied, "what about 'Snow Halation'?"

"LOL that's so old," I said.

"Hey, we really should get practicing," Chika interrupted. "Regionals are on Saturday!"

* * *

We spent the week practicing so hard, and Friday finally came. We decided that we were going to spend the day in Tokyo on Friday, to make sure we had time to make it to the regionals on Saturday. Plus, we could have fun!

It was Friday morning, and I was waiting for Chika outside with Riko. We stood in the shining white snow.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Wow, this year is really cold," Riko remarked.

"Yeah."

"I wonder why You kissed you."

"Huh?"

"When You kissed you? Didn't you wonder why? Maybe she likes you," Riko said.

"What? You? Liking me? Hahaha," I replied.

"But what type of person acts like that around someone that she doesn't like?"

"I don't know! Girls are weird. Hey. Riko. What about… when you fell on me…? That was… kinda… weird, too. You know?"

"Uh-" Suddenly, Howard wrapped an arm around Riko. Where did he come from? Riko's house?

"Hey, Riko," he drawled, pulling Riko into his arms.

His lips found hers, and I just stood there, watching, listening to their smooching sounds. Riko kissed him passionately, tongue darting in and out of Howard's mouth. Howard's hands slowly slid down her back.

I couldn't help but watch.

My heart suddenly felt heavy.

Finally, Howard released Riko, and they were breathing heavily, looking into each other's eyes.

"Good luck, Riko," Howard whispered, then ran over to his bike, which was parked at Riko's house, and rode off.

The two of us just stood there as the snow fell around us.

"Uhm. Sorry," Riko said quietly, avoiding my gaze. I didn't know what to say, but my heart beat furiously. "Hey-" Riko reached over and put a hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off.

"Oh, I'm okay," I said kindly. "We'll have a great time in Tokyo today! I've always wanted to go there! You can show us around, Riko-chan!" I smiled, but couldn't meet her eyes.

"Yeah, that'll be great!" Riko replied. Not knowing what else to say, we fell into an awkward silence.

"Hi guys! Sorry for making you wait!" Chika called, running over. "What's wrong?" She sensed our awkwardness.

"Ah, nothing," Riko replied.

"Hey Chika!" I suddenly exclaimed, grabbing her and pulling her body close. I buried my face in her shoulder, feeling her warmth.

"Eh- Darren-chan!?" Chika said, surprised. She put her arms around me as well.

"You're such a great friend," I said, my words muffled in her sweater. I hugged her tightly, even swaying side to side.

"Uh… Darren?"

I don't know why I did, but I started to cry.

Tears slid my down my cheek and onto Chika's sweater. I couldn't help but let out a sob.

"D-Darren-chan!?" Chika suddenly removed me from her grasp and looked upon my tear-streaked face. "What's wrong!?"

I looked through my tear-blurred vision at Riko, whose eyes were still glued to the white snow upon the floor.

"Nothing," I stated. "Nothing's wrong."

"D-Darren-chan? Tell me why you're crying! Riko! Do you know what happened?"

Riko shook her head.

"You were here before me! You should know!"

"No, it's fine, Chika," I said, wiping my tears. "There's nothing wrong. Let's hurry, or we'll miss the bus."

We walked in silence to the bus stop.

* * *

Once we met up with the rest of Aqours, we went to Numazu Station, where we would board the Shinkansen to Tokyo. We waited at a few benches near the train stop.

"Hey, what's wrong, Dary?" Emerald asked, walking over with two green tea bottles in hand. She gave one to me and sat down. The tea was warm, and I held it between my hands.

"Nothing," I replied.

"Just nervous?" Emerald inquired, putting a hand on the back of my neck.

"I guess."

"Don't worry, you'll do fine! You've improved so much!" Emerald snuggled up to me, her emerald-colored highlight dangling in front of me.

"I hope." I thought about the song we were going to perform, "Shojo Ijo no Koi ga Shitai". It was a sappy and girly love song, but somehow I felt it was very relatable. I don't know why.

"Hey, Emerald. Have you ever liked anybody?"

"Huh? Yeah, of course! A lot of guys. But I always think they're gross after a couple months."

"Do you like anyone right now?"

"Mm… I dunno. Why? You like someone? Need love advice?"

"Nah, I was just wondering."

"What? You want a girlfriend?"

"Huh? When did I say that?"

"Cuz you want to try it, don't you? I mean, if you really want… maybe I could… help you…" Emerald smiled.

"BRO CAN YOU STOP PICKING UP EVERY SINGLE GIRL!?" Kent shouted, scaring the crap out of me.

"Bro, I'm not," I said, annoyed.

"You're such a stud, bro."

"Hey, do you like anyone?" Emerald blurted.

"What? Why would you ask that? Who do you like?" Kent shot.

"No one, not really… what about you?" Emerald replied.

"I can't say, man. I can't say."

"WHAT? So you do like someone?" Emerald shouted. The other girls all turned to watch the commotion.

"Ehe- can't tell you guys! Hey look, here comes the train!" Kent laughed as the shinkansen came to a halt. We filed in, and I quickly found a seat. Yukio came and sat down next to me, putting her luggage in the above compartment.

"Hi Darren-kun!" She said sweetly, unwrapping a grocery bag and taking out a bento. "I made your favorite sushi just for you! There's also your favorite wasabi!" She handed the bento to me, along with chopsticks.

"Wh-wh-thank you, Yukio-chan!" My heavy heart lifted when she handed it to me, and I couldn't help but smile at her act of kindness. Then I remembered the shirt "My wasabi" and "My sushi" that Riko and I bought. Sigh. "Ah, this is my favorite! Thank you so much, Yukio-chan. I owe you one."

"Oh no, it's fine!" Yukio took out her own bento.

"Hey, Darren, you took my seat!" Kent said, appearing in the walkway.

"Your seat? It's not your seat," Yukio replied.

"Blah blah," Kent mocked, walking away and shaking his head. "Darren and his girls."

"Wow, what was that all about?" I remarked.

"I dunno. He wants to sit next to me, I guess," Yukio answered.

"Lol, maybe he likes you."

"What? No way, that's impossible!"

"Why? You're beautiful, and the sweetest girl in the world, Yukio," I said, impulsively grasping a lock of her hair.

"E-eh?" Yukio was startled, and looked very embarrassed. "Darren-kun? Are you okay?"

"No," I replied. "I'm not okay at all."

"Wh-what? You're not acting like yourself."

"I know."

I reached over and kissed Yukio on the lips.

I pulled back after a few seconds, and her face was beet red.

"D-Darren-kun… y-you can't!" Yukio whispered. My heart raced.

"Yukio… help me.…"

"H-how?"

I reached over and kissed her again, this time pushing my lips and my tongue into her mouth.

"M-mmmm…Darren…" Yukio did not push back, but accepted me.

After a while, I stopped and quickly began to eat my bento. As I ate, with my face down, tears fell from my face. Yukio sat next to me, silent, and did not touch her bento all the way to Tokyo.

I guess you could call it a guilty kiss.

* * *

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	19. 19: Akiramenai

19: Akiramenai

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* * *

"This is amazing!" I remarked as we stepped out of Tokyo Station and into the bustling, crowded streets. People were everywhere, bundled up in jackets and scarves, and cars packed the streets as far as the eye could see. Countless skyscrapers surrounded us in a maze of glass and concrete, and the bright sun reflected off the falling snow. It was a beautiful, breathtaking scene, and it quickly pushed my worries to the back of my mind.

"Yeah, I know!" Chika agreed. "Riko-chan, show us around!" Riko looked as if she was startled out of a trance, then replied, "Well, you'll have to tell me where you want to go first."

"Eh, where do you guys want to go?" Chika asked aloud.

"AKIHABARA!" Kent and I instantly said in unison.

"Why did I know you guys were going to say that?" Emerald said, not amused. The others agreed with us. Riko sighed, with her shoulders sagging, and led us to the train that took us to Akiba. When we got off, I was even more shocked. Not only were there people, and buildings, there were ANIME people and ANIME buildings. I have been devoid of this stuff for so many months…

"YEAHHHH!" I screamed. "I'm going to a maid cafe right now~! Bye guys!" I started to look for a maid cafe, desperately.

"W-wait." I felt a hand grab my arm, and I turned to see Yukio. "Um, I'm coming with you. You're going to get lost." Her earnest eyes looked straight into mine.

"B-but… I don't think… you like that stuff…" I said.

"Hey! What about me?" Kent blurted. "I'm going wherever Yukio goes." I didn't know how to respond.

"Well, you can just go with Yukio. I'll go alone," I said. I didn't really feel comfortable around Yukio, after the whole kissing episode in the train. I just needed to get away from everything.

"Okay, thanks bro," Kent said, wrapping his arm around Yukio's shoulder.

"B-but, you can't go alone, Darren," Yukio said worriedly.

"Hey. He's fine." Kent guided Yukio away, arm still around her. As they walked into the crowd, Yukio glanced back at me. Then they were gone. I looked around. Everyone else had gone off, and I was alone. For the second time since I came to this land, I was alone. Well. Surprisingly, it felt pretty good. Now let's go find that maid cafe!

"Irrashaimase!" the maid said as I entered, leading me to a seat. Man, she was one of those cuties with bangs and all. "What would you like today? A drink? Some food?" She proceeded to do some moe s***.

"Mmm, can I have this melon tea thingy?"

"Sure! Hold on!" The maid came back with a drink.

"Thanks!"

"No problem! Is there anything else you need?"

"Um, can we… chat a little?" I heard you could chat with them or something. And lonely guys liked to do so. Not saying I'm lonely or anything.

"Oh, sure!" The girl sat down across from me, adjusting her skirt as she did. "Are you from around here? Your accent sounds weird."

"Hm? Oh, I'm actually from America."

"Oh, really? _What- is- your name?_ " She asked in English.

"Call me Darren. You?" The girl's name tag said "Mimi" on it.

"Mimi! _Naisu chuu meet chuu!_ " She said cheerfully. We proceeded to talk for five minutes about random stuff, like hobbies and favorite animes. Then I looked out the window, down at the street below. I suddenly felt a weight on my chest. I don't know why, but I wasn't enjoying this. I always thought it would be so fun… Urgh.

I kept thinking about this morning, when Riko and Howard kissed. And earlier, when Yukio and I kissed. Sigh.

"Darren-san? Darren-san?" I snapped out of my daze.

"Yes?"

"Ah, are you getting bored of me? Sorryyy!" Mimi made a really cute embarrassed face and all.

"No, no, I'm fine! It's just…" I suddenly grabbed Mimi's hands in mine.

"Ah, Darren-san! You can't do that!" Mimi cried in alarm, trying to pull back. I clutched her hands tightly. I felt something grabbing at my heart.

"Mimi… I need to tell you something… listen… please…"

"Huh? O-okay." Mimi looked frightened, but I continued to hold her.

"I came on this exchange program thing… and the first person I met was this girl named Riko. I also met this girl named Yukio. They were both really nice. I met so many other nice girls, too. I just- I dunno, I've never been treated so kindly by anyone before, especially by a girl. Cuz you know, I used to be a loser back home. This girl Jenny, you see, left me for no reason. I thought that I was hopeless; I could never get anyone because they would just leave me, and I never did anything wrong. But all that changed when I got here, and I thought I had a chance! I thought, maybe, it wasn't me that was wrong. It was the people around me! When I left home and came here, everyone was so nice! I thought I was missing out all my life. This is the chance for me to be who I am, for others to love me for who I am. So these new friends, I care about them so much, I just- I saw Riko kissing this other guy this morning, and I don't know why, but I felt so sad! I mean, I thought Riko and I were close! We- slept in the same room, played piano together, went shopping together, ate together… But this guy just kisses her? And Yukio, who was always good to me- I just assaulted her earlier and made out with her! I don't know why I did it! And she even made me a bento. Then I had to go be a creep, just because I felt bad about the whole Riko thing and I don't even know what I was thinking, you know?! It's just- please, I don't know- I don't know what's happening to me! Like, I just wish NONE OF THIS EVER HAPPENED!" I slammed the table, and everyone stared.

"I-" Sobs broke my voice, and I started bawling right there. "Mimi!"

"D-Darren-san! It's okay!" Mimi rose from her seat and came to me, holding me. She rubbed my back, saying "It's okay. It's okay." I looked to see that she was crying too. Then suddenly I felt so bad for making her cry. What did she do to deserve it? It's all my fault.

"I'm sorry, Mimi! I'm sorry!" I stand up. "I'm so sorry. I have to go." The tears kept coming, and seeing the teary face of Mimi just made it worse. I was feeling very dizzy, because it turned out that my drink was alcoholic. I shrugged Mimi off, stumbling towards the door.

I don't even know why I'm feeling this way.

I was just so depressed.

I wandered aimlessly, ending up in an alley behind the building. I felt a hard thumping in my brain, and I just felt so, so bad. I leaned my head against the wall, trying to support myself with my hand.

What did I do wrong? Nothing. Will Yukio ever think of me the same? What am I going to say to her? How am I going to explain my actions? What about Riko? She knows I cried on Chika because I saw her kiss Howard. What is that supposed to mean? How am I ever going to face them again? I should just… stay… here… forever.

Then, I threw up.

I sank to the ground, hopeless. This was not what I wanted. But why am I even feeling this way? It's not like my mother died, like what happened to Howard. But still. Why?

I fainted.

* * *

 _Where am I?_ I rubbed my eyes. I looked around, and found that I was in an apartment room. Outside the window, the sun was just disappearing over the horizon. I was lying on a bed, in my boxers. What? Suddenly, I heard a door open. I sat up instantly.

"D-Darren! You're awake!" Mimi came into the room, wearing only underwear. What the heck? My eyes bolted open and my heart raced.

"What are you doing here? Where am I?" I said frantically. My eyes darted sideways, where Mimi's maid outfit hung in the closet.

"It's okay! Don't be scared!" Mimi said, approaching.

"Tell me what happened! Why am I in my underpants? And why are _you_ in your underwear?" I was really scared.

"Calm down! Let me tell you. I chased after you earlier, when you were all crying and drunk. I found you fainted in the alley, so I took you to my apartment. It's all right. I took off your dirty clothes for you," Mimi explained.

"Oh, okay. Thank you," I replied, slightly calmer. "So, do you like normally go in underwear in your home?"

"Uh… well, no…" Mimi said, twirling her hair.

"Well, anyway, I better get going. All my friends will be wondering where I am. Thanks for the help," I said, standing up.

"Wait!" Mimi held onto my arm. Her soft skin pushed against mine, and I suddenly tensed up again. "Darren-san… are you okay? I mean, you were so sad… I know I'm just a cafe worker, but… is there anything I can do to help?"

"I- I think-" I couldn't keep my eyes off her chest, which pushed against my arm. "I think you've done enough."

"No. I think you need help."

"No, I'm fine. Where'd you put my clothes?" I look around the room, beginning to sweat.

"I'm not telling you until you get some help." Mimi pushed harder, backing me against the bed. Her eyes looked longingly into mine, and she smiled. My heart beat fast.

What else was I supposed to do? Part of me wanted to find my friends, because they would be worried sick. But most of me didn't want to face them again. So, I guess… I could stall time…

In an impulsive action, I grabbed Mimi, twirling her around and pushing her onto the bed.

"Yyaaa! Darren-san!" Mimi squealed, giggling. I crawled on top of her, attaching my lips to hers. As I kissed her, I ran my hands down her smooth, sparsely covered body.

"I love you," I muttered, as our lips continued interlocking. I stroked her hair, smelling her fragrance. This is what I came here for, I thought. This is all I need. Who needs friends? Why does the friend zone even exist? I kissed her harder, touching her chest.

"Oh, Darren-san! I didn't expect you to be so aggressive!" Mimi moaned in delight. I smiled and reached down for her thighs. "Do it," Mimi laughed. "Do it!"

I don't know why, but kneeling there, on the bed, on top of Mimi… I suddenly felt so sad. And dirty. So aggressive? I love you? Seriously, what the f***!?

Disgusted, I released Mimi's legs and turned for the door.

"D-Darren-san? Where are you going?"

"I'm sorry. I have to go now."

"B-but, we didn't even get started!"

"Look. Where are my clothes?" I frantically searched the room for my clothes.

"I'm not telling you until you get some help!"

"You know what?" I went over to her maid outfit and took it out of the closet. I PUT IT ON. You know how I said, during the beginning of the year, how I was afraid I had to wear a girl uniform for the whole school year? But I was okay if it was Anime Expo? Well, this is Akiba, so it's always Anime Expo… so… that's exactly what I did.

"Darren! Darren, what are you doing?!" Mimi frantically tried to wrestle her outfit back, but I squeezed into it. Then I burst out the door, running. It was super hard to run in that super tight dress. I went for the fire exit, climbing down ten flights of stairs. I burst into the cold evening air. I turns out I was a little far from Akiba, so I had to spend thirty minutes finding my way there, avoiding the glances of passerby.

Where are my friends? As I ran, I suddenly felt so ashamed of what I just did. I felt like I had betrayed everyone. How could I sleep with some random chick? And just abandon everyone else? What would Riko think? Chika? I keep running through the night, tears streaking across my face. I push past the crowd, not having a particular destination. I must have been a weird sight; a crossdresser dude crying and running. But I didn't care. I didn't know what to care about.

I ran until I couldn't run, couldn't breathe, and couldn't cry anymore. Who would understand how I feel? Would Chika, when she couldn't do the Miracle Wave? Riko, when she failed her recital? You, when she was jealous of Riko? No, no one would understand.

I looked at my surroundings. Next to me was a bookstore, selling tons and tons of manga. I looked through the frost on the window, and saw Riko. She was browsing the selections on the bookshelf, with a concerned expression. Wait, so they're not looking for me?

I take out my phone, seeing all the unread messages from everyone in Aqours. I don't know if I should reply. I'm scared. I feel safer right now, just alone, with my thoughts. But no! I can't take being alone. Look what happened today. All because I was alone.

Not knowing what to do, I sat on a bench outside the bookstore. It was getting really cold. The maid outfit was so thin, the freezing winter air went right through it. I watched the people passing by, smiling, laughing, carrying shopping bags. There were Christmas decorations hung about, and the twinkling lights illuminated the street. It truly was beautiful. I breathed deeply, seeing my breath float through the air.

"D-Darren-sensei?" someone said. It was a little girl, wearing a pink puffy jacket and beanie. She was holding her mom's hand.

"Huh? K-Kimiko-chan?" I realised it was the little girl from the English Tutoring Program, the one that shipped me and Yukio.

"Darren-sensei!" Kimiko gave me a big, warm hug.

"Kimiko-chan! What are you doing!?" Her mother said sternly, clearly disturbed by the fact her little daughter was talking to a random crossdresser sitting on a bench.

"Don't worry, mother! He's a friend!" Kimiko smiled gleefully, showing her gleaming teeth.

"Hi, Kimiko-chan! What are you doing all the way in Tokyo?"

"Well, we came to buy some Christmas presents. Oh, here!" Kimiko waddled over to her mom's handbag and pulled out a gift. She handed it to me with both hands, giggling.

"Aww, thank you so much!" I said happily, patting her on the head.

"Merry Christmas, Darren-sensei!" Kimiko said cheerfully.

"Come on, Kimiko-chan!" Her mother began pulling her away.

"Bai bai!" She waved, smiling.

"Bye!" I waved back, and they disappeared into the crowd. I opened the small gift. It was a cheap red string bracelet, and stenciled on it in gold were the words "akiramenai" or "don't give up". Suddenly, my heart filled with warmth. I smiled, putting on the bracelet.

"I won't," I said aloud. "I won't give up. Hahahah!" I suddenly couldn't help but laugh. A nearby couple gave me creepy looks and quickly shuffled away. Filled with hope, I stood up. The thing was, it was getting really, really cold. The bookstore, with its warm yellow lights, looked so inviting…

I walk to the door, and just as I was about to open it, it opened from the inside.

And I was face to face with Sakurauchi.

* * *

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	20. 20: Not There Yet

20: Not There Yet

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* * *

Riko and I stood there, looking at each other, not knowing what to say. Riko held the door ajar, and I stood outside, the snow falling around me. The soft yellow glow from the bookstore illuminated her features, revealing a face filled with shock, worry, and confusion. What do I say? What do I do? My heart beat fast, and my eyes teared, overcome with emotion. The reason I had gone through all this suffering was right in front of me, and all my running had led me back where I was.

I take a deep breath.

"Ri-" Riko planted herself against my chest, wrapping her arms around me.

"Darren. It's okay," she whispered, face buried in my jacket. Should I hug her back? Would she like that?

Riko suddenly grasped my hands and put them around her. As she did so, I saw that her face was covered in tears. I held her tight, finding myself sobbing as well. We stood, hugging and crying, outside that bookstore, as the sounds of the holidays surrounded us. People laughing, bells ringing, and a distant band playing. As people passed by, they kept their faces down, uncomfortably hurrying away. I felt the soft frame of Riko's body, my lips against her silky hair. Bits of snow had fallen on it, and I instinctively brushed them off. When I did, Riko finally pulled away, eyes cast downward.

"Darren...san…" she said softly, "I'm sorry."

"I- I- it's okay," I stuttered.

"Do you hate me?" Riko looked up, right into my eyes.

"N-no. I don't hate you," I replied, unsure of what to say.

"Then… do you love me?"

"I… I like you." I don't know what I meant by that. Of course I liked her, as a person.

Riko smiled, her tear-stained face shining in the streetlight.

"That's good," she whispered. "I like you too." Riko patted me on the head. "As a friend, of course."

I don't know if I should've been sad that she said that, but I don't really know if I would've wanted it any other way. I just want this drama to resolve itself, so we can get on with our lives.

"Riko!" A voice called from the street. We turned to see the rest of Aqours come rushing over, led by Chika. "Riko! You found him!"

"Yeah! I did!" Riko cheered, giving me a big hug. "He's alright!" She pulled my arm, approaching the others.

"Where were you!?" Chika cried, worried.

"Long story…" I was not in the mood to tell everyone about my "adventure". I just wanted to get some rest.

"Dary, don't tell me you hired a prostitute or something!" Emerald said.

"Hey, Darren-chan looks really tired. We should just hurry to sleep. We have regionals tomorrow! Come on, Darren-chan." You grabbed my hands and pulled me away. We walked along the snowy streets, heading for our hotel.

* * *

"Ahhhhhh!" I sighed, as I laid my head back in the bathtub. I felt all my stress leave me; I was just so tired and grateful that Riko was still my friend. I don't really know what will happen from here, but at least there's hope.

"You havin' fun in there?" Kent called from outside the bathroom.

"Shut up!"

"Hey, man! Don't get too relaxed; we got a performance tomorrow!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good." I got out of the bath, drained the water, and dried myself. As I dressed, I made sure to put on the bracelet Kimiko gave me. I brushed my finger over the words "Akiramenai", and left the bathroom. Kent was sprawled on the hotel bed, watching videos of kawaii school idols on his phone.

"Get a life, bro," I said.

"Hahaha, better than you! We all know why you ran off today. The whole Riko thing? And Yukio told me everything, too. How you kissed her on the train." Kent looked at me, smiling.

"Dude. Wait, so everyone knows?"

"Uh-huh. Well, not about the kissing part. Just the Riko thing. You know, how you saw her kissing Howard? She told us."

"Oh. Okay. I'm gonna go chill in the lobby or something." I put on a pair of flip-flops and head out the door. My stomach growled. I hadn't eaten since the maid cafe. Wait, I only drank. I went down the elevator to the ground floor, entering into a spacious lobby area filled with soft couches and armchairs. People were sitting, reading, on their laptops, chatting. I saw a convenience store at the corner of the lobby, and went in. I found that they were selling boxes of fried chicken, so I bought one. I was soooo hungry! I picked out a box, and went to the cashier. There was someone in front of me, also purchasing chicken.

"Thank you!" The clerk said to her. The girl turned, bumping into me.

"Ah, sorry!" It was Riko.

"Riko! What are you doing!?" I laughed, pointing at her fried chicken.

Riko, looking embarrassed, replied, "Eh… Just a midnight snack! Heehee!" She then left hurriedly. Was she avoiding me? No. She must have just been embarrassed. I quickly paid for my chicken and followed her, catching up before she made it to the elevators.

"Hey, what's the hurry?" I said.

"Oh, nothing! What you think I was going to eat all of this myself? Hahaha! Of course not!" Riko said nervously, mashing the elevator button. When the doors opened, I stepped in with her. She couldn't run now.

"So, Riko." I tried to keep my distance. "If all of you were searching for me earlier, then why were you looking at yuri manga in the store?"

"Well, Darren-san… You see, I just… I thought you had taken off, because of me… and you hated me… I was scared." Riko looked straight ahead, at the elevator lights.

"Okay. I did run away because of you."

"I… know."

"So… yeah. But, it's all good now, right?" I said, trying to be cheerful. The doors opened, and we stepped into the hallway.

"Yeah. It's all good. Good night, Darren-san. You need rest. Good luck tomorrow!" Riko began to walk in the direction of her room.

"Good luck to you too," I said. Riko stopped and turned halfway.

"Thank you, Darren-san. I'll need it. Howard's coming to watch tomorrow!"

And with that, she disappeared down the hallway.

* * *

We walked down the backstage hallway, which was bustling with activity. Performers from schools all over Japan were here. Many groups of attractive girls eyed us as we walked past. They were dressed in their pretty idol costumes, and we passed a pair who were still changing. They obviously didn't expect two guys to be walking though there, as they squealed and jumped behind a dressing curtain. I chuckled, elbowing Kent. He didn't even smile.

"Bro, I'd expect you to be going crazy, Kent!" I said, surprised that he didn't even care he just saw a bunch of chicks in their underwear.

"Sorry man, I'm not into that stuff." Kent wrapped an arm around Yukio. "Right?"

"Yeah, Kent-chan! You're so pure!" Yukio agreed, smiling. Oh my gosh. Why is he trying so hard to- could it be; Yukio and Kent are together? If so, then that meant I _was_ the biggest failure around.

We entered our prep room, and the girls ordered Kent and I into a small changing cubicle while they they changed in the main area.

"Dude, do you like Yukio?" I whispered.

"Huh? Yeah, something like that," Kent said without a moment's doubt. Wow.

"Oh. Ok. Good luck." Seriously? Whatever. It doesn't matter anymore.

"Okay, we're done changing!" Chika called, and we went out. The girls were wearing their Mijuku Dreamer outfits, and they all looked amazing. We had decided to do Mijuku Dreamer instead, because it turned out the other outfits were all at the cleaners. They began to apply their makeup at the mirrors, and the members of Yumedake donned their yellow sweaters. Yukio, Kent, and I wore jeans, but Emerald insisted on wearing super short jean shorts, because she somehow felt the need to look "presentable" on stage (basically wearing as little as possible LOL).

"You guys ready?" Yukio announced, gathering our band together.

"Yeah!" We replied in unison.

"Okay! Darren, remember that chord before we transition to the chorus! And Emerald, don't play too loud during the first verse! Kent? Don't mess up!" Yukio said.

"Alright, ma'am!" We replied. Kent and Yukio took to practicing, and Emerald was air-drumming with her sticks. I looked over at the other girls, who were looking extremely beautiful. I walked over, passing Riko, and ending up behind Dia.

"Hi, Dia-chan!" I said.

"Eh-eh?" Oh, hello, Darren-san!" Dia replied, looking up from doing her eyelashes. "Do you need something?"

"Oh, no! I just thought that you looked super-duper gorgeous! I love your bangs and all," I said, admiring her intricate makeup materials.

"Oh, well, thank you! Hey, come here." Dia stood up. "Sit down."

I sat down in the chair. Dia adjusted my face so that I was looking at myself in the mirror.

"Here," she said, taking out a hairbrush and doing my hair. She spiked it up, then sprayed it.

"There you go! Now you look super cool!" I looked at myself in the mirror, and my hair was all spiky and swaggy.

"Why thank you, Dia-chan!" I thanked her, bowing.

"Anytime!" Dia patted my back. "Good luck out there."

"You too." Ah, senpais are so nice. I don't spend enough time with them.

When we were finished prepping, Chika had us huddle up.

"Alright, everyone! We've come this far already, and I think you all know what to do. Just do your best. We got this!"

"Yeah!"

"Band members, we're counting on you!"

"You got it, ma'am!" Yumedake shouted.

"Okay! Everyone in!" Chika put her hand out, and we all huddled together. This was it. It was time to perform, for the sake of all my friends, for Uranohoshi, for Love Live. We all put our hands in.

"Zero kara ichi e! Ichi, ni no Sunshine!"

* * *

The crowd was huge, and my heart drummed as I sat at the keyboard. The audience stretched far, and they waved their lightsticks, cheering. I glanced over at Yukio, who smiled, mouthing, _ganbatte!_ I turned to Kent, who probably mouthed the f word at me, grinning. Emerald stuck her tongue at me, shaking the hair from her face. The nine dancers stood nervously.

"Hello everyone! We are Aqours, and today we will be performing 'Mijuku Dreamer'! I hope you enjoy!" Chika announced, turning and nodding at us.

Yukio began, plucking the strings of her guitar. The rest of us joined in, playing the soft, steady beat of the verse. The girls moved, dancing, singing.

"I can't fully express my feelings, and my heart loses its way...let's forget the tears…"

My heart beat faster as I played with passion. "The fact that we drifted apart… Has always worried me, it's made me sad… I want you to understand me...And I'm sure I hurt you because I can't stop feeling that way…" I gulped, as I realized tears were falling from my face. Then Riko's voice came in, "Still, I just can't give up..."

At this, I felt goosebumps crawl over me, and I noticed Emerald eyeing me strangely.

We approached the chorus, pausing for the moment of silence- then came in blazing, Emerald smashing the drums with pure power and passion.

"No one knows what the future holds...Things are just getting started, so let's work try our best!"

As they sang the final line, we played the outro, slowly dying down. When we were silent, the crowd erupted into cheers. My heart filled with elation, and we left the stage, adrenaline still pumping in our veins.

"Good job, guys! That was amazing!" Chika cheered, and we all whooped. I socked Riko in the arm.

"I just can't give up, eh?" I chuckled.

Riko smiled, catching her breath, beads of sweat on her forehead. "No, you just can't give up!" She held her hand up, and I gave her a huge high five. "Yeah!"

* * *

Aqours stood outside in the the snow-covered street.

"What's our score! What did we get!?" Everyone shouted as we huddled around Mari's iphone ten.

"Wait for it, wait for it… OH MY-" Mari screamed. "We got second place!" The Love Live website displayed today's results, and it turns out that we were second place! That means we would move on to the finals!

"Amazing job, everyone! Whooooo!" All of us cheered loudly, jumping and hugging each other.

"YeAHHHH!" I high fived everyone, and we were a pile of happiness. Suddenly, Howard appeared, and Riko ran to him, hugging him, planting a kiss on his cheek. We all stopped and watched.

"Good job, baby," Howard said. He took out a bouquet of flowers, handing it to Riko.

"Awww, thanks, boo," she said, blushing. "Hehee! Did you see me?"

"Yes you were amazing! My favorite part was when you sang 'Still, I just can't give up'! It felt so… deep!" Howard laughed, patting Riko on the head. I noticed that everyone else was eyeing me nervously. They were observing me. Was I supposed to be sad? Jealous? Ha! No! Like she said, "I just can't give up".

I laughed out loud, approaching the couple.

"Hey, Riko-chan, you did great today," I said, putting my arm around her. I smiled at Howard, who wore an extremely spiteful and surprised expression.

"I think we should celebrate! How about some of your favorite sushi? After all, you are my wasabi!" I said, taking off my sweater, revealing the "My wasabi" t-shirt that we had bought together. The rest of Aqours and Howard looked super confused, but Riko suddenly laughed gleefully.

"That sounds great!" She turned, putting the flowers back in Howard's hands. "Hold this for a sec, will you?" she said, taking off her coat. "And... you're my sushi!" Riko yelled, revealing her "My sushi" t-shirt underneath. We laughed together, and an "Awwwwwww!" Came from the girls of Aqours.

"Wow, when did you two get those shirts!?"

"That sounds amazing! Let's get sushi!"

"Come on, Riko. Let's go!" I said, walking with my arm around her, towards the others.

"Bye, baby!" Riko said to Howard, waving. HAHAHA Howard's face; it was fantastic! He just stood there, glaring, stone-faced.

As we skipped to the resturant, hearts filled with happiness and accomplishment, I couldn't help but laugh. Yeah, I'm gonna have hard times, I thought. There will always be times when I want to cry, want to die… but I can't let them bring me down. I just gotta keep laughing, and keep trying. I just can't give up. Surely, I'm going to make it in the end. I don't know if I'll succeed, or where exactly I'll make it to. But hey, who knows? We're not there yet!

* * *

 ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****


	21. 21: About Time

21: About Time

 **Merry Christmas everyone! I've prepared a treat for you! Please read this chapter, filled with rides, gifts, music- and a realization. Please continue to read and review and tell the world! :)**

* * *

"Merry Christmas!"

"Have fun on break!"

I packed up my bag and left the classroom, elated. It was WINTER BREAK! YAY! TIME TO PLAY VIDEO GAMES ALL BREAK- wait… I don't have my computer… Noooooooo! I can't play video games? What am I going to do all break? What, go outside or something? My grin quickly faded.

"What's wrong, Darren-chan?" You asked, popping up beside me.

"Oh, it's just… I have to make it through the winter break without playing video games… that was always my tradition back home, to play so much video games during break, making sure I stayed up playing past twelve on New Year's!" I explained.

"Heh? Well, don't worry! Doesn't Yumedake have a performance at the Shizuoka Sea Park on Christmas? I can't wait to see you perform! I bet Riko will love it!" You said cheerfully, nudging me with her elbow.

"H-huh? Why Riko?" I asked, trying to be suspicious, but also realizing that her words were completely reasonable.

"Well, isn't it obvious? After we got second place at regionals, you were so happy with Riko and all, you basically stole her from Howard-san! It was really cute. I ship it!" You winked and skipped away. Umm… Suddenly, someone approached me from behind. It was Howard.

"Hey, Darren," he said. "Bro. You're not cool. Don't do anything like that again. It's not cool." He had an angry expression on his face.

"What are you talking about?" I said defiantly.

"You know what you did, and you know it was wrong. Don't do it again." Howard turned and stormed away.

Yeah, I know it was wrong to steal Riko from Howard like that. But then again, Howard is a jerk. Then again, he never actually did anything wrong… even so, I just couldn't help myself. Sigh. I know it's not right, but that's not going to stop me from trying my hardest… to be close with Riko. Wait, why am I doing this?

"Hi Darren-kun!" Yukio greeted me, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Hi Yukio!"

"Today's the tryouts for the Shizuoka Sea Park performance! You ready?"

"Yeah. I'm ready! After our performance at Tokyo, I can do anything!"

"That's the spirit! Ganbatte!" Yukio gave me a high-five.

"Oh yeah, how do feel about Kent?" I blurted. Remember, Kent said that he basically liked Yukio last time.

"Huh? Um, why? He's a nice guy. I think he's really cute. You're really cute too!" Yukio smiled, patting me on the head.

"Uh, thanks… because… I think he… um… he uh… nevermind." I shouldn't be gossiping around… who knows how much gossip is going around about me already?

We performed so well at the audition, they gave us the final placement in the concert, for the finale.

* * *

"Wake up! Wake up! It's Christmas morning!" Chika's sharp voice screeched in my ears.

"Ughhhhh…." I groaned, rolling in my futon. Suddenly, I jumped up. "NOOOOOOOOOO!"

I shouted.

"What's wrong, Darren!?" Chika asked, standing in front of me in her pjs, hands behind her back.

"So sad! Didn't you watch!?"

"Watch what?"

"Episode twelve of the anime! It's so deep! Like, it's all going to be over in a week... I cried so much…" I said.

"Ehh? I still have catching up to do! What happened? Did we win Love Live?"

"That's the thing! The episode ended, and it didn't even say if we won or not! How could they do that to us!?"

"Wow… but hey. Don't worry about it. We'll definitely win. Don't worry." Chika leaned in close to my face, her bed head bangs falling in front of her face. I suddenly calmed down, meeting her in the eyes. "Darren-chan, merry Christmas!" Chika took out an orange-wrapped gift from behind her back, handing it to me with both hands. "Open it! I hope you like it…"

"Oh, thank you, Chika-chan!" I said in surprise. I was not expecting gifts! I unwrapped the little gift. It was a mikan-shaped picture frame, and with it a picture of Aqours, all of us posing for a picture in the music room the first day we had practiced together with the band. On the frame, written in silver, were the words "Zero kara ichi e! Ganbatte!". I felt a wave of chills run over me. "Awwww… This is so sweet… awww… thank you so much, Chika!" I wrapped my arms around her, and she did likewise.

"It's nothing, Darren," she replied. "Just a little good luck charm for your performance today. We better get ready! Especially you. I just get to play around, but you band people got a big performance to prepare for. Come on, let's get going."

When I got to the dining room, I was surprised to receive gifts from Mrs. Takami, Mito, and Shima. I was so embarrassed for not preparing gifts for them, but they were all nice about it and said it was okay. I got my very own yukata from Mrs. Takami, a scarf from Shima, and a sweater from Shima. I thanked them a million times, and Chika and I went outside, where the others were waiting. IN MARI'S HIPPIE VAN!

"All aboard the Happy Party Van!" Mari shouted. Wow. Since there were four extra people, we were super squished. Dia's original plan was to have me and Kent take the whole back row, but we naturally refused and ended up sitting in different rows, both super super squished. But with girls! Yay!

"Oh my, you're hopeless," Emerald sighed next to me, giving up and basically sitting in my lap. It was really weird, but I guess it was fun.

"So why are we taking the Party Van?' I called to the front, through Emerald's pile of hair blocking my face.

"Well, you see, the Shizuoka Sea Park is in Shizuoka City, which is further than Numazu. It'll take too long using buses and trains," Kanan explained.

"Oh, I see." Wow, I'm going somewhere new!

We drove for a while, until we pulled into the parking lot of Shizuoka Sea Park.

"Well, here we are!" Mari announced. It was packed, with thousands of people entering the park. I could see roller coasters stretching far and wide, and all sorts of other rides. Definitely cooler than Disneyland. I mean, there was an Ucchichi standing at the ticket booth!

After like an hour, we finally made it inside the gates.

"Well, that was tiring," Kent said.

"Hey, don't worry. Want some water? Oh, and I brought some chocolate," Yukio said, taking stuff out of her backpack and handing it to Kent. Wow.

"So, what do you guys want to do first?" Kanan said, unfolding a map. The snow had almost melted completely, with only little piles here and there. People were bustling about, steamy breaths filling the air.

"I wanna go to the haunted house!" Yohane piped.

"Eh? But isn't that for couples?" Maru said.

"Yeah, it is. But, that isn't a problem. I can go with Riko-chan," Yohane replied.

"Hahaha! You're going to make people jealous," You said, winking at me. Really?

"What? You should be happy, You-chan," Yohane replied, "because you can go with Chika-chan!"

"Good point… All right, let's go!" You shouted. What? Then who would I go with?

You with Chika, Yohane with Riko, Ruby with Maru, Dia with Mari, Yukio with Kent…

"Hey, we don't have even people…" Emerald said. "But that's okay. You can go with Kanan, Darren! I'll go with that random guy over there! He looks so cute!" We all watched as Emerald ran over and began talking to some cool college kid, and soon they were all laughing together. Wow. Well, I guess things worked out perfectly! I mean, I did say I was going to go on a date with Kanan, right (If you remember, it was in one of the early chapters)?

"H-hey, Kanan," I said, approaching her.

"Hello Darren-kun! You ready?" Kanan said, tying her ponytail.

"Yup~! You know, I planned to go on a date with you for a long time!" I replied.

"Huh? Aww, how cute! Well, here's your chance!" Kanan put an arm around my shoulder, and we stood in line, behind Yohane and Riko. Yohane gave me some demon stare and grinned. What the heck? Riko looked so confused. Whatever.

Sigh, Kanan's arm around me felt so warm… I squeezed in closer to her, leaning my head on her shoulder.

"You cold?" she asked, smiling. Kanan took off her beanie and put it on my head.

"Oh, thanks." I blushed, feeling warmth in my heart. Wow, I guess we really looked like a couple, standing with each other like that. When it was finally our turn to go in, Kanan held my hand.

"You ready?"

"With you, I'm always ready," I said, smiling. We entered the haunted house, which was one of those scary maze thingies. It was really dark, and there were scary breathing sounds all around us. To be honest, I was pretty scared myself, but I needed to be a man and lead the way. LOL Kanan didn't look afraid at all.

"You okay?" She asked. "Need me to go first?"

"Oh, no, you're the one I'm worried about," I whispered.

"Me? I'm perfectly fine," she replied.

"All right, tell me if you- AHHHHHHHHHHH!" I shrieked, leaping into Kanan's arms.

"What is it?!"

A demented looking Ucchichi, with red eyes and a bloody smile stood in front of us, holding a chainsaw.

"Th-that! What is that!?" I screamed, pointing at the abomination before us.

"Don't worry, Darren-kun! I'll protect you!" Kanan shouted resolutely. Carrying me bride-style, Kanan charged forward, smashing the Ucchichi to the floor. She set me down on my feet, taking my hand. "Come on! Let's run!"

Not looking back, I ran with all my might, following the flying ponytail of Kanan. I could hear the chainsaw right behind us, and we did not stop until we found ourselves outside, at the exit.

Breathing hard, we found the nearest bench and sat down. I was holding on to Kanan for dear life.

"Don't worry… I've got you… I've got you…" Kanan whispered, stroking my hair.

"Uhhhhh…..what are you doing?" Riko asked, standing above us.

"Yeah… That's weird…" Yohane remarked.

"AHHHHHH! Wasn't that so scary?" I exploded, jumping to my feet.

"No, not with Yohane by my side," Riko said.

"What the heck?" I blurted.

"Oh my, Darren's holding onto Kanan like a baby!" Mari squealed, and I found myself surrounded by everybody. Sigh.

"Anyway," I said, "Where are we going next? Can we do a roller coaster?"

"All right! Too bad we can't do the Mikan Cart Coaster again," Chika exclaimed.

"Oh, how was it going with that random college dude?" I asked Emerald.

"Well, it turns out he was a total baby, just like you. He was holding on to me the whole time, but I felt like he was just acting so he could brush my chest like twenty times. What a jerk," Emerald said.

"Okay…that's why you don't go out with some random dude that looks cute…" Dia scolded.

* * *

We went to a roller coaster called the "Yousoro". And guess what, there was a giant picture of You on it!

"Woah, You-chan, look! It's you! They're gonna go crazy to see you!" I squealed excitedly.

"Wow, I must be famous!" You said. "Hey, I wanna ride with you on this one, okay?"

"Yeah, sure!" The other girls looked so jealous that You had an entire roller coaster dedicated to her… LOL. When we got to the front of the line, You was like, "Hey everyone! It is I, Watanabe You! Zensoku Zenshin, Yousoro!"

"Haha, great cosplay!" The staff member said. "You gotta tell me how to do it so well! I want to look like that too!" (he was a guy).

"Hey! I'm not a cosplay! I'm the real You!" You shot.

"Wow, a tsundere You? That's new! Like it! Alright, go ahead and buckle up!"

"Uuuuughhhhhhhhhhh… No one will believe it's the real me…" You groaned, buckling up next to me.

"Don't worry, I know you're the real you, or should I say, the real YOU. OHHHHH!" I said.

"Aww, thanks-AHHHHHHHH!" The roller coaster blasted forward, and soon we were looping and dropping to "Koi ni Naritai Aquarium" and random You quotes stolen from the anime. It was super awesome, and near the end, the coaster went and skimmed the ocean (the park was on the coast), spraying water all over the riders. We left the ride laughing, and soaked. And really, really cold.

"Brrrrrr…..!" We shivered, all of us huddling together in front of a fireplace that they had inside this Italian restaurant. Well, none of us had brought an extra change of clothes, so we ended up spending ten thousand yen each buying Shizuoka Sea Park merch… So there we were, cuddled up in sweaters with random Ucchichis and Yous on them.

"Sigh… that was fun, though..." You sighed.

"Yeah! And guess what… Merry Christmas!" Mari cheered, taking a giant bag out of her backpack. She began passing out gifts to everyone. "It's my treat!"

"Wow, Mari-chan!" Everyone exclaimed. "Thank you!"

"It's no problem! Open them!"

Everybody got some expensive Ohara silverware, except for me.

"Darren-chan, your gift is really special. It may be… a tad lewd… but… I hope you enjoy it…" Mari held her hands together, blushing.

"Oh, Mari-senpai… a special gift for me? Thank you!" I unwrapped the gift. It was a Ohara Mari picture magazine. It was filled with photoshoot pictures of Mari, wearing a number of interesting outfits. I don't know if it was the fire, or I was blushing, but nevertheless, I thanked Mari ten more times.

"I hope you enjoy it!" Mari said.

"Eww," Kent interjected, "She gave you that disgusting model magazine of hers? Why would you want a picture of some neko face thot?"

"Ha, you're just jealous that you didn't get one!" Mari shot.

"Ewwww what the f***! Why would I be jealous?" Kent shouted.

"Hey, no bad language," Yukio said, putting a hand on his arm.

"Oh I'm so sorry," Kent said, backing down. We were all super comfortable in front of the fire, and none of us wanted to go back outside into the cold. So, we basically spent the whole day playing charades in that restaurant.

"Um, do you think they'll let us stay for this long? Won't they kick us out?" Dia questioned.

"Oh, don't worry! Can't you see, this is an Italian restaurant!" Mari remarked. "The owner knows me! See, look! Hey, owner! How about dinner for all of us?"

Some Italian dude who looked like a chef agreed rapidly and soon we were seated at a huge table, eating mounds of pasta.

"Wow, Mari-senpai, thank you once again! I spent all my money buying that merch; I would have starved!" I said gratefully.

"Aww, it's all right! Eat up! Especially Yumedake! You have a performance after this!"

Oh yeah, it was almost time for our performance.

After our delicious dinner, Yumedake said goodbye to the rest of Aqours and we ran to the backstage, where other performers were prepping. The stage was set against a view of the ocean, and there were concrete steps surrounding it in half-circles. Night was falling, and Christmas decorations were abound. Colorful lights shone from every railing, and holly adorned every pole and corner. Warm yellow lights poured into the streets, and the most beautiful moonlight reflected off the ocean.

"Wow, there are a lot of people out there," Emerald said, peering out at the audience.

"Don't worry about it. Just focus, and we'll be alright. Let's do this!" Yukio exclaimed. My heart was beating excitedly. We would be performing "Awaken the Power", and we prepared a little surprise… We anxiously waited, as many other bands filled the crowds with music and delight.

"Finally, ladies and gentlemen," the announcer announced, "Our night has come to a close… and before the fireworks display, I would like to leave you with a performance from Yumedake, a new and rising band!" The crowd clapped, and we walked onstage. People were everywhere! Oddly enough, I spotted the rest of Aqours sitting not far away, cheering their hearts out for us. They're rooting for us, I thought. I can't let them down.

"Um… hi everyone!" Yukio said into the microphone, adjusting her guitar. "We're Yumedake! I'm Yukio, that's Kent, that's Darren, and that's Emerald. We're all really nice people! Tonight we'll be singing 'Awaken the Power'. I hope it'll finish your night perfectly… it's a song about finding the power within yourself, trying your best, and never giving up. Please enjoy!"

We started the intro, playing the inspiring yet sentimental melody. Yukio's soft voice resounded throughout the audience.

"When I start I never really think about...How it'll end…or anything like that…"

Then, I took the next line, singing into my own mic!

"It seems like it'll go on forever, so I only look ahead… since that's how I've been running until now…"

"Where to?"

"Where to?"

"Where to next?" Our voices sang in harmony. I could feel the audience feel our emotions, which we were conveying to them. As we continued, transitioning into the upbeat verse, I realized how true these lyrics were. We've already made it this far, and yet it felt so fast. We started all this, so excitedly… but how would it end? What would happen to Yumedake, to Aqours? Was it going to follow the anime, and the school would close down? But no. There is no point worrying…

"Even when I'm happy, tears flow and erase my pain… The things I worried about before, are completely gone- I've really grown…."

When we finished, the crowd was in tears and smiles, on their feet, clapping, cheering... I could see the Aqours girls whopping, laughing... Riko's eyes were shining with tears, and You was saluting us. Just then, a volley of fireworks exploded behind us, above the bay, illuminating the park with yellow, red, orange, green, white… I couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeahhh! WHOOOOO!" I screamed, jumping up and high-fiving my bandmates.

"GO, YUMEDAKE!"

* * *

In a blur of lights and laughter, we met up with the others in the crowd, and people from all over were talking to us, trying to get our autographs… People finally realized that they were the real Aqours, and a huge commotion was about… I was in a daze of elation. The fireworks did not stop, relentlessly lighting up the air, explosions cracking over the people. Meeting smile after smile, merry Christmas after merry Christmas… I felt a warmness in my heart that I had not felt before. Then I felt a hand around mine.

"Darren-kun." It was Riko. She pulled my hand, and we dodged through the crowd, escaping everybody else. We stopped at the railing, looking out at the bay and the beautiful show of lights.

"Hi, Riko," I said softly. Riko smiled, looking into the distance, resting her chin on her palm, leaning forward against the railing.

"Good job, Darren," Riko whispered.

"Thank you, Riko," I replied softly.

Riko giggled. "Oh, Darren… why are you so sweet…" She put an arm around mine, leaning against me. I smelled a faint scent of cinnamon and eggnog.

"Why are you so spicy, wasabi?" I said, smiling, meeting her eyes, which gleamed in the colorful light. Riko giggled again, brushing a strand of hair away. Her blue sweater, with a picture of Ucchichi on it, was slightly big for her, but it was cute. Her fingertips just appeared out her sleeves, and her white skirt swayed calmly in the biting breeze. Atop her head was a white headband; a little bow adorning it. She was beautiful.

Her eyes searched my face, darting back and forth. What was she looking for? What was I looking for? Slowly, slowly, our hands reached towards each other. Our fingers intertwined, and I felt warmth begin to spread between us.

My heart beat fast, and suddenly the lights, the fireworks, the laughter, the people… everything faded around us… and it was just Riko and I. It was like a dream… I couldn't stop looking into her dark eyes, which seemed so deep… yet so warm…. There was an orange light reflecting off the hair framing her face… her small lips, tightened in a smile, which conveyed joy, yet worry, yet hope… I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't take it. Now I realized why. What was I doing here, over seas and mountains, in a town, far, far from home? Why here, and why… her? Since the beginning… she was the one I had set my eyes upon. She was the one I had met… under that streetlight… that seemed so long ago…. There was no other reason. These feelings, filling, taking over, overflowing my heart… a chill ran down my spine… It was destiny.

"Riko-"

"Shhhh…" Riko shushed, leaning close, putting a finger to my lips. My heart raced. I could not bear it; the wind, the lights, the night, it was all telling me to go, to reach out, to say it… to say those words, that I could not say….

"It's okay, Darren… It's okay…." she turned to leave, lips brushing across my cheek. I watched her disappear into the crowd, gently placing my fingers where Riko's lips had graced. I couldn't run from it anymore. My heart beat… for her. There was only one reason, why I was so angry at Howard, why I ran away, why I came back, why I would do anything for her even if it was wrong. It was about time I realized it. It was about time I came to terms with the truth. It's about time.

I love Riko.

* * *

 ***** Reach 50 followers and I will include a special scene/alternate ending with any ship of your choice! Just leave a review, and include what two characters you ship! If I reach 50 followers, I will make a scene for every ship requested!*****


	22. 22: Change

22: Change

 **Happy New Year! Enjoy my next chapter, and continue sharing and review this story! It's getting good!**

* * *

"Riko… Riko-chan…." I whispered, in a daze. I had fallen asleep at my desk last night, in the middle of doodling on my journal. On the paper were numerous pictures of Riko, many covered with eraser smudge marks and pencil smears. Suddenly, the door burst open.

"Goooooooooood morning!" Chika shouted, leaping in.

"Ahhh! Good morning!" I screamed, awoken abruptly. Oh no! My drawings! I quickly slammed my journal closed, throwing it into my bag.

"Haha what was that?" Chika laughed.

"What was what? Nothing; that was just homework!" I said nervously.

"Hey, it's winter break, why would you be studying? Hahaha! Guess what… it's New Year's tomorrow! We're going to Maru-chan's temple tonight!"

"Oh, really? That would be great! Finally, I get to experience a Japanese New Year! I know exactly what I want to wish for," I said.

"Annnnnnd… what would that be? Hmmm?" Chika grinned.

"Chiii-ka!" Mito's voice sounded from the dining room.

"Okay! Darren-chan, let's go eat!" We went to the dining room, where Chika's family sat around the table. Wait. Who- is that?

Chika's dad was there, staring me down with narrowed eyes. Gulp.

"Uh- nice to meet you!" I stuttered, bowing.

"Mm," he grunted. Not very talkative, eh?

"Sit down, Darren-kun," Mrs. Takami said, handing me a bowl. "Have this! It's really good!" It was one of those soupy mochi kongee thingies.

"Mmmmm! It really is delicious!" I said.

"You- taking good care of her?" Mr. Takami suddenly said. My blood froze.

"Ehhhhh…." I eyed Chika, who smiled, giving me a thumbs-up. "Yeah… Yes, I am, sir!" I said resolutely.

"Hm. Good," he replied. Wow, after how many months, and I've never seen him? Wow. Pretty scary though.

"Hey, you guys going to Kunikida-san's temple?" Shima asked.

"Yup!" Chika and I replied.

"Well, that's great! Darren, you can wear the yukata I gave you for Christmas!"

"Oh, yeah! Thank you so much…" I said awkwardly.

"Oh it's no problem! Actually, let's see how it is on you right now! Come on, Chika!" Shima led me to my room, Chika following behind, after an "Ehh?" from her dad. We entered, and I pulled out my yukata.

"Now, take off your clothes!" Shima said, smiling.

"Uhhhhh…."

"Come on, boy! How are you going to do this when you're with Ri-" Chika stopped herself mid-sentence.

"What did you say?" I interrogated.

"N-nothing! Carry on!" Wow. I guess everyone basically knows by now. Sigh. I awkwardly strip down to my boxers, and Shima began to put the yukata on me. It was a mikan orange. She adjusted the fit, tugging here and there, and inspecting everything.

"Oh my, you're so nervous, Darren-chan!" Chika said gleefully. "Hold on!" She bolted out the room, and just as Shima finished dressing me, Chika came back in, wearing a mikan-colored yukata as well!

"You look wonderful!" She said. "I have the same color! Aww, that's so cuteeeee!"

I blushed awkwardly.

"Yup! I got him a mikan one on purpose!" Shima said.

"You're so cool, Darren! I mean, you'll definitely make Riko-chan blush!" Chika squealed. Then she realized what she had just said. "Uh… AHH, SORRY, DARREN!"

"Um. Well, I guess you found out," I said dejectedly.

"N-no! I don't know a thing… yeah… It's kinda obvious…" Chika said in defeat.

"Mm. Well, that's okay… I mean, It had to come out at some point."

Shima looked at us in confusion, and quietly excused herself from the room.

"Don't worry about it, Darren-chan. I support it! You guys are really cute together. Hey." Chika grabbed my hand, her yukata pressed against mine. "If you ever need to talk, I'm right here, okay? I know it must be hard… with Howard and all…"

"Yeah, thanks Chika. I wanted to ask you something… has Riko ever talked to you about me? And how she feels about me?" I asked, my heart pounding.

"Well… she is one of my best friends… so… of course." Chika's hand was shaking.

"Can… you tell me what she said?"

Chika looked down at the floor. "N-no."

I sighed. Of course, she should keep secrets. But I felt so stressed. This whole time, Chika knew? How much did she know? What did Riko tell her? Does Riko hate me? Does she think I'm a creep? No, but she kinda kissed me on Christmas... AHHHH I don't know what to think!

"Please don't give up, Darren-chan. It doesn't matter what she told me, you just keep trying your hardest. Work for your dreams, okay?" Chika said, eyes in mine.

"Yeah. I will." I gave Chika a kiss on the forehead. "Thank you."

Chika blushed, and gave me a punch on the arm. "You're welcome. Go get her!"

* * *

"Good morning, Darren-kun, Chika-chan," Riko said, approaching us from her door.

"Oh, g-good morning Riko!" I said energetically.

"I see you two are dressed up for New Year's," Riko said kindly, giving a slight bow.

"Y-yeah! Your yukata… it's beautiful…" I said in amazement. Riko was in her pink, exquisite yukata, sakura flower in her hair. She had put on some eyeliner, and her face was slightly blushed pink. It really took my breath away.

"Why, thank you, Darren. You're looking great yourself, in that yukata!" She giggled.

"Th-thank so m-much…" I couldn't stop stuttering. After I made it official that I loved Riko, I just couldn't help being so much more nervous around her.

"Hey. Strong!" Chika whispered, elbowing me in the ribs. Right. I can't be a wimp. I gotta be strong.

"Riko-chan, you excited for today? Want to walk with me to Maru's place?" I held out my arm.

Riko laughed, covering her mouth. She grabbed my arm.

"Sure! Let's go," she said. "Mm, what about Chika-chan?"

"Oh, I'm fine! Shima can drive me there! You guys just take your time!" Chika winked at me, waving goodbye. "See ya!"

"Bye!" Riko said, and we began walking. My heart beat rapidly. It was just Riko and I, walking along the street… her arm in mine… we didn't talk for a while, but I felt connected, somehow. "Hey, you're sweating a lot. Wanna rest a little?" Riko said. Wow, I was that nervous? But taking a rest would let me spend more time with her.

"Sure," I agreed. We sat down on a bench, overlooking the bay. "Hey. Remember that night, the first time you gave me a piano lesson? And we spent so much time, that we forgot about dinner? Then we went to the convenience store, through the rain? Late at night?"

Riko chuckled softly. "Of course. How could I forget?"

"Well, I'm glad we made all these memories. I think, this year, these are some of the best memories that I will carry with me, forever," I said.

"Hey, hey. Don't be like that," Riko said. "We've still got quite a few months… it's not over yet. There's no need to get into nostalgia mode yet! There's still so many memories waiting to be made… It's not time for goodbye yet!"

"Yeah, sorry… I'm just an emotional person, I guess…"

"Yeah, or, you're just really emotionally attached. To something. Or someone." Riko smiled. Ummmm…. What am I supposed to say to that?

"Well of course I'm attached to you," I blurted. "How could I not be? You've always been there for me, in one way or another."

"Really? I never did much… oh, I feel so bad for saying so… I should do more to support you… you've only been kind to me! How could I repay you?" Riko said.

"You don't have to do anything," I said, putting my arm around her shoulder. "You being here is enough."

Riko blushed, which made her even more beautiful.

"Why, thank you…." Riko nervously brushed a strand of hair away. "Well… if you need anything… you can always come over and talk to me. You know, life problems, someone you like… I'll hear you out. You don't have to worry about gossip. My lips are sealed!" She did a little zipping action with her finger.

"Well, same for you. I'll always be here, if you need a shoulder to lean on!" I patted her shoulder. "Until… you won't be here…." Riko muttered.

"What do you mean?"

"You know… when this is all over…"

"Hey! Weren't you the one who just said that it isn't the time for that? Just keep your head up, and enjoy the time we have. Okay? Now let's get to Maru moe blob's temple!" I stood up. "All right!" I grabbed Riko's hand, pulling her to her feet. "Let's go!"

* * *

Hanamaru's house was all traditional, with a nice temple across the courtyard. The building was red, with golden accents adorning it. Everyone else was already there, dressed in their yukatas. I smelled the distinct scent of incense burning.

"Riko zura, Darren zura, over here, zuraaaaaa!" Hanamaru's bubbly voice sounded, as she jumped up and down, motioning for us to come.

"What took you guys so long?" Emerald shot. "I was waiting for your reaction to my outfit, Darren!" I looked at her yukata, which, of course, was emerald green. Along the sides, the yukata was cut all the way up to her waist, so I could see her entire leg…. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah, of course!" I said nonchalantly. "I like your hair, too!" Emerald's hair was in two little buns.

"Aww… thanks, Darren. I mean, I wasn't expecting that reaction… I was expecting you to be all like 'uhhh…' and blushing and gaping and staring… haha I guess you've changed," Emerald laughed. I walked over to Yukio and asked, "How are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm doing great! Kent's my boyfriend," she said, pulling an embarrassed Kent to her.

"Hah, I beat you," Kent said.

"Eh, that's fine," I replied. "Does anyone mind explaining all this temple stuff to me? I've never done it before."

"Never, zura?" Hanamaru piped. "Kent and Emerald said that they were familiar with it."

"I guess they've done similar things in the past," I said. "But I've never really done this."

"Well, that's fine! Here, I'll show you around," Hanamaru said, motioning for me to follow her. "So, basically, you do all this stuff, and pray for what you want, zura. It's easy, zura!"

"Okay… not really… but okay…"

"See? You've got it, zuraaaa! By the way, Darren-senpai, do you mind doing me a favor?"

"Hm? I'll do anything," I replied.

"I need some supplies for our dinner later. Could you come help me buy them? Like noodles, spices, mochi? There are going to be other people visiting our temple, and we're going to be selling food," Maru said, her little center bangs bobbling enthusiastically as she talked.

"Wow, that sounds fun! Let's do this!"

* * *

Hanamaru and I walked to this traditional food and spices market, where numerous monks were milling about.

"Hello! Hello!" Maru waved, greeting numerous monks that she was familiar with. All of them seemed to know her.

"Ah, Kunikida-san! Your're here again! Who's this young lad?" A monk at the counter said.

"Oh, hello, sir! He's my friend!" Maru said cheerily. "He's helping me carry foooooood!"

We walked through the aisles, picking up large amounts of ingredients. We walked out carrying huge boxes stacked to the sky.

"Ahhhhhh… it's so heavy, zuraaaa…." Hanamaru sighed.

"Here," I said, taking half her load, my knees buckling under the weight.

"Thank you so much," she said, catching her breath. "I'm not strong at all… What would I have done without you?"

"So how do you manage every year?"

"Well, usually my family comes to help, but this year they have important business in Kyoto, and they'll be celebrating New Year's over there. I'm in charge of maintaining everything, so right now the other girls are helping clean the temple."

"Wow, you must have a lot of pressure, with that responsibility," I said.

"No, it's alright! It's hard, but I guess it'll help me grow, right?"

"Yeah, that's a nice way of thinking. Ganbatte, Hanamaru-chan!" I smiled, patting her on the head (after setting down the boxes).

Hanamaru giggled. "Heehee, thank you! My my, you've changed, Darren-senpai!"

"Changed?" I asked in surprise. "I changed? Are you sure it isn't just because we never really talked?"

"No, I'm sure you've changed. We've all changed, haven't we? We're always changing. It's just… we usually don't realize we have until we have. But when you realize you've changed, you don't realize you're changing, at that moment, because we're always changing. Ahhhh, nevermind, zura!"

"No, no, I get it! We constantly change, and by the time we've realized it, we're changing again, through that action. So, it never ends."

"Yeah… something like that. But definitely, Darren-senpai, you have changed. You probably just haven't realized it yet."

* * *

"Soba noodles! Mochi!" I called out. The others and I were manning the food stand, feeding the huge crowd which had appeared at nightfall. The air was filled with drifting incense, the sound of bells, and warm conversation.

"Happy New Year, zuraaaaaaaaaa!" Maru said, each time she passed out food.

"Emerald-san… your outfit is too much! It's lewd!" I could hear Dia scolding Emerald. Hahaha!

"Keep it up, Darren-kun," Kanan said, passing me two more bowls of noodles.

"Would you like some noodles?" I asked a passing couple.

"Sure!" They said. I took the bowls and handed them over, receiving the money with a bow and a smile.

"Hey, Darren-sensei!" Little Kimiko appeared at the stand, waving and wearing the sunniest smile around. "Two bowls of soba, please!"

"Oh, hi Kimiko-chan!" I greeted, giving her the noodles.

"Did you like my Christmas present?"

"Yeah! I love it! Trust me, Kimiko. It's helped me… more than you could understand. See? Here!" I pulled back my sleeve, showing her the red bracelet she had given me. "I'm always wearing it! Whenever I'm sad, or feeling like giving up, I just look at your bracelet and remember. And it makes me happy!"

"Yay! I made Darren-sensei happy! Hey mom, I made sensei happy!" Kimiko said, giving a bowl to her mom, who paid me. She eyed me suspiciously, recognizing me as that crossdressing emo on the streets of Tokyo. But that's okay. Sometimes, you can't change everything. There's always going to be people who hate, who don't understand.

"Happy New Year!" Ruby appeared in between Maru and I, reaching out and putting an arm around each of us.

"Happy New Year!" We replied. "Wow, Ruby, when did you get the courage to do something like that?" I asked.

"Haha, it was partly because of you, Darren! Remember when we fought that creep in the elevator? Hahaha!" Ruby laughed.

I smiled, remembering all the times I've had until now. Just like that, another year had passed by. It was the fastest, yet felt like a lifetime.

When midnight was approaching, we closed down shop, and went to the temple for our prayers.

"You ready, everyone?" Hanamaru announced, as the bells began to toll. The final toll would sound at midnight, heralding the new year. I closed my eyes, the scents and sounds of the night surrounding me. _To a new year,_ I thought. To a new year, filled with fun and happiness. I'm going to make the most of my time here, until the last second. It doesn't matter what may come, I'm sure I can overcome it. Because, like Maru said, it'll help me grow, right? It'll help me change. How… have I changed? I don't know yet, but I know I have. Yes, change is important, and that doesn't mean I'm changing who I am. I am always me, but as I change, I will find the better me. One that is worthy of being there for her. For Riko. No longer am I the weak, awkward boy I once was. I know, I know. I say I'm not, but I'll end up being afraid, being awkward again. But I can't let that bring me down. If I truly work for it, for my dream, eventually, I'll change completely, without even knowing. At that point, I won't go back. I-

My eyes opened, and I saw Riko beside me, eyes downcast. I looked at her out of the corner of my eye, her radiance outshining all those around her. The light from the lanterns reflected off the flower in her hair, and I could see tears in her eyes. I shut my eyes tight, wishing with all my heart. As the final bell tolled, I made my wish.

 _Please, please… may all of us be together forever… and may Riko and I always be together… until the end of time…._

* * *

With a warm feeling in our hearts, we wished each other a Happy New Year, and the people eventually began to leave. In a mood of contentment and anticipation for the future, we began to clean up.

"I guess… we've all received something tonight, in one way or another…." Kanan said, watching as the last visitor waved goodbye.

"Ku ku ku… I sure have…." Yohane grinned.

"Well, surely, let's make this an amazing year!" Chika cheered. "Yeah! Let's go with excitement and determination! And make our dreams come true!"

"Yeah!" We cheered, laughing and smiling.

Then, Mari began to cry.

"What is it, Mari? Are those tears of happiness? Hahaha!" Dia said, elbowing her. Then, her smile faded.

The tears came pouring down Mari's face.

"Everyone... " she said. "I'm sorry…"

We all looked at each other, concerned.

"T-...th-... -the school…. It's being closed down…" Mari said, sobs racking her voice.

"What?" We said in unison. "I thought that was just the anime!"

"I-it's real… It's really happening…" Mari fell on her knees, crying.

"Th-this can't be," Chika muttered, tears falling from her face.

"I-is there anything we can do about it?" You asked.

"Well… he said that… if we got at least a hundred new students… but… we all know that's not going to happen…we're going to get ninety-eight… just like the anime…." Mari sobbed. I felt my heart twist. One moment, we were so happy, so excited… the next, we were broken, in tears… I looked at Riko, who was gazing at the moon, tears streaking her cheeks. No. I can't let this happen.

"Everyone," I announced, "Don't worry. We WILL save our school. I'll do whatever it takes."

"Sometimes, Darren," Riko said, putting an arm on my shoulder, "Whatever it takes… is not enough."

"Yeah, the anime already told us what is going to happen," Maru said.

"No. The anime didn't have me in it, right? It didn't have Kent, Yukio, and Emerald. We're here, we're OCs, and we're going to make a difference. Right!?" I looked at the three, who energetically agreed.

"Yeah! Of course! We're going to change things! Just because the anime said it, doesn't mean it's canon!" Kent said.

"Thank you, guys, for all of your positive encouragement… but… there are just some things that we can't change," Mari said, wiping the tears from her eyes. Eyes downcast, we all stood in silence, feeling the pain quickly overtake the blessed feelings from moments past. That night, we all slept in Maru's house. There was supposed to be a party, and more fun… we all just went to bed, all of us, lying on the floor in our yukatas. I watched the moonlight surround us, sighing. The sounds of muffled sobs surrounded me.

How did things change so fast? One moment, we were thinking about the changes in the new year, the changes in us… the next, we were thinking about a change that none of us had wished for.


	23. 23: Our Feelings

23: Our Feelings

 **Hello everyone! Another chapter is here! Please, please, continue to write reviews and share this story with your friends!**

* * *

"What are we going to do… what can we do…?" Chika muttered. Chika and I sat on the pier, hanging our legs over the water. The orange sunset reflected off the water, creating shining lights all around.

Chika sighed.

"It's kind of sad, isn't it?"

"What is?" I asked, gazing out across the bay.

"Life? You know, we try so hard, but something always tries to bring us down. To think how much time, how much we've put into saving our school… in the end, there's nothing we can do…"

"Hey. Don't lose hope. Like I said, I'm going to make a difference. See? Yumedake can hold other concerts, too. We can attract students from different audiences! I'm sure that'll add up to more than two. Which means we're definitely going to save the school. Definitely."

"Mm. I'm trusting in you, Darren-chan," Chika said, turning to face me. Her eyes were glistening with tears.

"Hey, you two!" We turned around to see You approaching. "I thought I would find you guys here."

"You-chan!" Chika gave her a big hug. "You-chan…"

"Chika… I understand…" You smiled, also with tears in her eyes. "But don't worry. We can count on Yumedake, eh?" You gave me a punch in the arm. "You're going to change everything, Darren-chan. I believe it."

"Yep! I will," I replied. "I will."

"Mm! I'll be supporting you! We'll all be supporting each other, right? Y-youso-soro…." You broke into sobs. Chika and I reached over and embraced her, our feelings one.

"I-it's okay," You whimpered. "Darren… I think… you should see Riko right now…"

"Riko?"

"She's… taking this pretty hard…"

I stand up, breaking into a run. I knock on Riko's door, which opened to her mother.

"Darren-kun?"

"Is Riko here?"

"Oh… something must have happened… she hasn't come out of her room since New Year's…"

"Mn." I go upstairs, opening Riko's door. "Riko...chan?"

Riko was sitting on her bed, legs pulled up to her body, head in her arms. When I entered, she looked up, tears streaming down her eyes.

"Darren…" she whispered.

"Riko." I closed the door behind me and climbed on the bed, sitting next to her. After minutes of silence, Riko spoke.

"You know, when I first came here, I was so happy… to meet such nice people, in this town… with such beautiful scenery. I thought that it couldn't get any better, until it did… that was when you, Darren, came into my life."

Why did it feel like we had this conversation before?

"Me? What about Howard?"

"Yeah, him too. The thing is, I've already made so many memories… you know, this school is a really special place to me. And now… it could be… gone."

"No, it's not. I'm not going to let that happen. It's not over yet."

"I know, Darren. I know. It's just… what if? I mean, how could such a thing happen? Our school is so pretty, everyone's so nice! What's wrong with it!? They can't just close it down! How could anyone understand what it's like… all our treasured friends, memories… all gone with the wind…."

"Don't worry. I won't let that happen!" I was putting a lot of responsibility on myself, to save the school. But it was the right thing to do. It was up to Yumedake; we were the only hope.

"I'm sorry… for having so little faith, Darren… I thought that maybe, if the school was saved, you might be able to come back here next year. I know, your parents probably wouldn't permit a second year abroad… but I mean, there's a chance! Although… it's impossible. The thing is- even if we do save the school… the third years… and you… are still going to leave. That- I can't…I can't let you go, Darren."

"W-why, Riko-chan? What makes me so special? I'm just… a normal monster, Darren-pi! Haha!" I laughed, tickling Riko. "Beep! Boom!"

"Teehee! Darren-kun, stop it!" Riko giggled, trying to pry my hands off.

"Boop! Boo boo boo!" I continued to tickle her, and she laughed, returning the favor.

"You two okay in there?" Mrs. Sakurauchi said, from behind the door. We quickly stopped, trying to suppress our giggles.

"Yes, we are!" We replied.

"Hahaha, Darren! You're going to get me in trouble!" Riko said, pinching my cheeks.

Catching my breath, I asked, "Well? Why me? You still haven't answered the question. What makes me so special, that you can't leave me?"

Riko's eyebrows angled in concern, eyes downcast. Suddenly, she met my eyes, smiling.

"Why?" She said. "Well, because I like you, Darren-kun! I reaaaally, reeeaaally like you!" She lunged forward and tackled me in her embrace, strands of her hair getting caught in my mouth. I held her tightly.

"I'm so glad," I replied, tearing up, holding her tightly. "I like you too."

"I know."

We stayed in that position for a long time.

"You know," Riko said, pulling away, wiping her eyes, "whenever I'm sad, I just play the piano. Here, come on." Riko went over and sat down at the piano, patting the space next to her. I did so. Riko placed her fingers on the keys, and began to play a moving, melancholy melody. Her fingers moved with grace, her shoulders swaying slightly with the beat. She closed her eyes, and I could see the trace of a smile form on the edges of her lips. When she finished, I applauded.

"Wow, that was beautiful," I said. "What's that song called?"

"I dunno. I just made it up, right now. I just played… how I felt. I just wanted to convey my feelings through the music… what did it sound like?" Riko asked.

"Well," I replied, "It sounded… kind of sad… yet happy…"

"Like how I'm feeling right now."

"Like… that feeling when you know something is coming, and you're so excited for it, you feel like chasing it, with all your might. But at the same time, you don't want it to come, because you know that will mean the end of this time, that you treasure so much… and you know that all things must come to an end, yet… you just can't help but… cry…" I felt tears fall from my face.

"Awww… Darren-kun… Come here!" Riko held open her arms, and I crumpled into her, sobbing. I planted my head under her chin, and she softly stroked my back. "Hey. Darren."

"Hmm?"

"Let's make a song. A song for just the two of us. A song that only the two of us can understand. Here!" Riko began to play the song again. "Join in!"

I placed my fingers on the piano, and began to play, notes in perfect harmony with hers. As we played, we looked at each other and smiled, our hearts connecting, without saying a word. Then she began to sing, a bittersweet yet uplifting melody.

" _Oh, when it first started, we were so young, so naive… yet so excited; what would the future bring?"_

I joined in, picking up the next line.

" _Look at us now, how much we've changed...we've all grown so much…"_

" _All the memories have been made, and yet…"_

" _I can't let you go…"_

" _We've already come so far, and yet…"_

" _I can't let you go…"_

" _Our time is slowly, quickly, running out, and yet…"_

" _I can't let you go…"_

" _There's still so many things to do, so many things to say…"_

" _But we both know, we've got to go away…"_

" _I wish, with all my heart, that we'd have one more day…"_

" _But we both know, there's nothing we can do…"_

" _I just want to know, before I leave…"_

" _That you understand…"_

" _That you understand…"_

" _I understand…"_

" _I understand…_

" _How I feel right now…"_

" _How I feel right now…"_

We joined in unison.

" _How we feel right now… I understand…."_

Our last note held, softly fading away.

The sound of applause filled the room.

"Eh?" We turned to see the rest of Aqours, clapping for us.

"Everyone… you heard us?" Riko said.

"Thaaaat'ss…. Right!" Mari cheered.

"Such a beautiful song," Kanan remarked.

"I think… it kind of describes all our feelings right now," Yohane stuttered.

"Um… what are you guys doing here?" I asked.

"What else? We came to see how Riko-chan was doing," You said. "Because, not only is she having to deal with Love Live right now, she's having a hard time with Howard-san as well."

"W-what?" I said.

"Mm… it's nothing," Riko answered. "You know, I think I understand now. No matter how cheerful, how optimistic we are, bad things are always going to come our way. But that doesn't mean giving up. That just means to keep going. Actually, I think, the happier you are, the more you desire that light, the more life is going to throw at you. It means you're trying, if you're struggling. If you face struggles, then you know you're doing something right. So we shouldn't keep thinking about what ifs, goodbyes, or regrets… we just need to focus on right now, on what we desire, that dream we're striving to achieve. You can't get rid of trials. It's how you overcome them. So now, just keep fighting, fighting for our school, our friends, for Love Live. Okay?"

"Mm!" Chika agreed. "You're right, Riko-chan! I've been thinking about it too, but I didn't know how to explain it…our feelings. But you just did. I think, you explained it for all of us."

A chorus of agreements rang throughout the room.

"So, without holding back, let's give it everything we've got!" Mari shouted. "For Love Live! For Aqours! For Uranohoshi!"

"Yeahhh!"

"And we'll do everything we can, right, guys?" Yukio said.

"You can count on me," Kent agreed.

"You bet, or I'll make Ruby my little Emerald!" Emerald said, tickling Ruby, who shrieked, "Pigi!"

"Darren?"

"Of course. Nothing's going to stop me," I said resolutely.

"All right! Let's practice!" Dia announced.

"Hold on, what's this, Riko-chan?" Hanamaru piped, bending over a pile of books on Riko's desk. "Hand… in… chin… yuri manga?"

"IIYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"


	24. 24: Smile

24: Smile

 **Thank you, thank you for your follows and reviews! I can't thank you enough... your reviews mean a lot to me! Please continue reading :)**

* * *

"And with that, our test will be on Friday," Yamamoto-sensei said, closing his book. "Class dismissed."

Ughhhhhh… another test? I'm so done with school… ahhh… I just want to spend all day with Riko-chaaaaaan….

"Darren-chan? You eating lunch with us?" Yukio said, a hand on my shoulder. I looked up, brought out of my Riko daydream. Kent stood there, arm around Yukio, grinning.

"Um, yeah," I replied, getting my bento out. We went to our usual table in the cafeteria, and waited until You and Chika arrived.

"Itadakimasu!" We chanted, digging in.

"Where's Riko-chan?" I said, mouth full of rice.

"Eh? Where she usually is, on the roof with Howard, of course," Chika responded.

"Oh, yeah. But, You, didn't you say that Riko was having a hard time with Howard lately? May I ask what that's about?"

You twirled her hair nervously. "Well… I'm not really sure what it's about… but I get the feeling it's about you…"

Well, I thought as much. That's a good thing, right? Maybe they're gonna break up, and Riko will be available!

"So, you're really in love with Riko, right?" You asked.

"Yeah… I am."

"Man, you're head over heels, bro," Kent interjected. "I see you staring at her all the time. I mean, I can see why. She is beautiful. Of course, not as beautiful as my Yukio!" He reached over and pecked Yukio on the cheek.

"Hey, Kent! Don't do that in front of everyone!" Yukio whispered, jerking away.

"Aww, you guys are so cute… I wish I had a boyfriend," Chika remarked.

"Don't we all?" I said. Suddenly, You grabbed my hands across the table.

"It's okay, Darren. Even if… you don't end up with Riko, I'm sure that there are a lot of girls out there that would go crazy over you. I know I would. I mean, if I… like… like… never mind, that came out weird!" You stuttered, burying her face in Chika's shoulder.

"Hahah, you're so cute, You!" I laughed.

"D-don't say that!" You blushed. "Never mind what I said!"

"WHAT is up, guys!" Emerald came out of nowhere, sitting down next to me and taking a swig of her strawberry milk.

"Oh, hi, Emi," I said dryly.

"Hey! Why so blue? I know what you need, Dary," Emerald said slyly. "You need Riko! Why don't you like, do something about your situation? Don't just let Howard take her from you like that. You gotta fight for what you want. I say that you should go to the roof right now and sit with her. Like, don't care what Howard's gonna do, just do it. Show him that you're strong, that you can fight! And besides, Riko would like that confidence. You were supposed to change, right? Your New Year's resolution? Now's your chance! Go!"

"Yo, yo, hold up! What's this all of a sudden? I'm not even prepared!" I objected.

"Hey. If you're always saying that, you're never going to do it. You'll always be waiting until next time, when you're 'prepared'. But you'll never do it. That's why you just gotta go, on a whim! Come on!"

"Ugh, fine." I didn't know what I was doing, but Emerald's words were true. You gotta take every chance you can get. Don't wait until next time, because there may not be one. "Excuse me." I packed up my half-eaten bento and made my way to the stairs. When I reached the door to the roof, I could hear shouting voices. I looked out the small window on the door.

"Look! I don't understand what you're talking about!" Howard shouted, hands in the air.

"I'm just being me, okay? You can't stop me from doing what I want!" Riko replied angrily.

"You don't understand, Riko! You don't understand… how much you mean to me… Please, Riko! Don't do this to me!"

"I'm sorry, Howard, but I'm not sure if we really… understand each other. I don't know if… we should keep going."

"You know what? Fine! I don't want a traitor like you!" Howard screamed, coming for the door. Oh, no! I quickly ran down, all the way back to the cafeteria before Howard could see me.

"Back so soon?" Kent asked.

"It's not good. They're screaming. I think they just broke up," I reported, out of breath. "Wait- wait- that's a good thing! That means Howard is gone! Yeahhhhhh!" I whooped, drawing the attention of the entire cafeteria.

"Great!" You said, smiling. "Now you can go comfort and save her!"

"Yup!" Just then, we watched as Howard stormed by, fists clenched. I grinned.

* * *

After school, I waited outside for Riko, telling the others to go on ahead of me. As I stood at the gate, a figure approached me. It was Howard.

"So, you happy now?" He said hatefully. "You feel good about yourself, hater?"

"What, me?" I asked, pointing to myself.

"Yeah, you! You think you're so talented or something, winning over Riko. But that's a lie! The only reason is because Riko is a loose hoe! She's a worthless, disloyal traitor! Suit yourself, if you want her. Just don't come crying when she cheats on you," he spat.

"I won't! Riko's perfect for me. With her faults, I wouldn't trade her for anyone else!" I replied.

"Okay, okay! Just take her already!" Howard began to cry. "Why are both of you so ignorant, so mean? You don't even understand… what I'm going through…" Howard sobbed.

"What? The thing about your mom dying? That's a lie!" I jeered, triumphant.

"She told you? I knew it, that gossiping traitor! I-it's not a lie! IT'S NOT A LIE! SHE'S DEAD, OKAY? MY MOM'S DEAD! F*** YOU!" Howard shrieked, shoving me and running away.

I fell to the grass, but remained sitting there. Ugh. Why do I feel this… pain in my heart? Sighhhhh. I should be happy. Howard's finally not going to be in the way of Riko. But why do I feel so bad? Isn't Howard supposed to be the villain, taking away the princess? But in reality, what had he actually… done? Was he not just doing his own thing? Was it I, who was wrong? Stealing Riko? And I even thought he was lying about his mom to win Riko's heart. But then again, I never actually did anything to him directly. I never confessed to Riko or anything. I was just doing my thing. But so was he. So… who was in the wrong? What if, Howard wasn't actually a bad person? He's just struggling, just like the rest of us. Looking for something, someone to help him cope with loss, with loneliness. Then again, he is kinda rude sometimes. Then again, was I not?

"Darren-kun! What are you doing, still here? And on the grass?" Riko said, rushing over to me, smiling.

"Ah, I was waiting for you," I replied, trying to force a smile. Riko tilted her head, frowned, and pulled me to my feet.

"Are you okay?" She asked. "You seem kind of down."

"No, I'm fine. It's you I'm worried about. I heard you and Howard fighting."

"Oh…" Riko's smile faded, and she looked to the ground. "Yeah… he… thinks I'm cheating on him because I spend so much time with you… but you're my friend, right? He can't tell me what to do! I hate it when he does that, getting so angry because I talk to my friends. But he's also really nice sometimes. I feel so bad for him. I want him to stay with me…"

"He just screamed at me earlier. He's really angry."

"Oh, no… I never wanted it to become like this… maybe I should say sorry. I can't stand these things tearing us apart. But… the truth is, I'm not sorry! I'm never going to stop spending time with you. But that doesn't mean I don't want to be with Howard, too! Ahhhhhh, it's all a mess!" Riko lamented.

"Well… sometimes, there's nothing we can do, right?"

"Y-yeah."

"D-don't cry, Riko-chan."

"Mm."

We walked home in silence, mixed feelings of angst in our hearts.

* * *

The next day, at practice in the music room, You suddenly ran up to me and patted me on the head.  
"Hey, lover boy! I need a little help…" she said, putting her fingers together.

"Huh? What is it?"

"Eh, well, you see, I kinda left my bag in the classroom, and I'm kinda… scared… to go back alone…"

"What? You're scared of the classroom?" I blurted.

"Hey! Shhhh!" You shushed, grabbing my arms. "Let's go!" We went down the hallway, and up a flight of stairs approaching our classroom.

"Hey, Darren-chan," You said softly.

"Huh?"

"Are you having a hard time?"

"Well, I guess? I don't know."

"I thought so." When we went into the class, You grabbed her bag and told me to turn around. Then, she said, "Look!" I turned back to see You wearing an admiral's cap, saluting. "Zensoku Zenshin, Yousoro!"

"Ummm…"

"Teehee!" You giggled, squishing my cheeks. "You're so cute, Darren-chan! Whenever you're sad, you can just call me. I can cheer you up in no time!"

"Hahaha!" I laughed. Why the heck is You being so cute? Ahhhh. "Thank you, You-chan."

"Mm! Here, have a cookie!" She pulled out a chocolate-chip cookie and handed it to me.

"Th-thanks!" I replied awkwardly, eating it. "Delicious!"

"Right? Come on, let's get back to practice! Yeah!" You cheered, slapping me on the back. A warm tingling in my chest, I smiled.

* * *

After practice was over, Ruby scurried up to me.

"Ah, Darren-senpai, onee-chan wants to talk to you…"

"What? Okay…"

Dia walked up to me, blushing.

"Ahem. Darren-san, I was wondering if it would be okay for you to come over to my residence tonight. I can take you there."

Wait, what?

"Hey, Chika-chan!" I called. "Dia's asking if I can go over to her house!"

"Mm, not so loud!" Dia whispered nervously.

"Eh? Dia-chan? Sure, why not?" Chika replied, busily fiddling with her braid.

"Okay, then!" I told Dia. Why was she doing this? I know. You, and now Dia, they're all trying to cheer me up. I guess they actually know more than they appear to. I couldn't help but smile, knowing that they're supporting me.

I walked down the street, flanked by Dia and Ruby. Well, this was a new sensation.

"S-so, w-what do you like to eat? D- do you like fish?" Dia stuttered awkwardly. Whaaaat? She's usually so refined and proper!

"Ah, fish is great, Dia-senpai!" I said.

"He likes turkey!" Ruby piped, grinning.

"Hahah, remember that?" I said, recalling the memory.

"Yeah! I even remembered what it was called! Turkey!" Ruby cheered.

"Ruby, we don't have the means to obtain a turkey right now," Dia replied.

"Fish is fine, it's great!" I said, patting Dia on the arm. "Ahhh, sorry, senpai!" I blurted, aware that I had just violated her personal space.

"Oh, it's fine, Darren-san. We're friends! Don't be so proper around me."

"Ah, okay, senpai."

Dia tried to give me a wink, but it turned out really awkward.

"Iyyahhh, you didn't see anything!" Dia squealed, turning her face in shame.

"Hahahaha! Onee-chan's so nervous!" Ruby said.

"Ruby!"

We came to the grand residence of the Kurosawas, and I took a seat in the living room.

"Our parents aren't home, as usual," Dia said. "So we're gonna have to prepare the dinner ourselves. I mean, Ruby and I. I wouldn't make a guest work!"

"Oh, no, I can help!" I replied, standing.

"No, no! That's shameful… Ruby, get the fish out of the freezer."

"Hey. If I don't help, I'm gonna be sitting here all alone, feeling lonely! That's also uncourteous!" I said.

"Ahh… you're right… Fine! Ruby, go entertain our guest! I'll deal with this!"

"Wa? Okee," Ruby said, running over to me, leaping into my arms. "Daryyyyyyyyyyy!"

"R-Ruby?" I held her, her twintails slapping my face like ten times.

"Well, you wanna look at my idol magazine collection?!" She said.

"Sure!" Ruby sprinted to her room and came back with a huge pile of magazines.

"Ah, do you know Muse?"

"Yeah, of course!"

"See look, here's one of their magazines! They all look so pretty! I really like Hanayo."

"Hanayo? Good choice," I replied, flipping through the magazine.

"Darren-senpai, who's your favorite?"

"Well, that would have to be Kotori-chan, of course," I said, flipping to a page with the second years in their Start: Dash outfits.

"Kotori-chan? Aww, that's expected! I mean, she is kind of like Riko-chan."

"Really? Riko is like Umi and Kotori combined, I think."

"Mm, kinda like that. You have good taste!" Ruby said, rolling around on the floor. "Hey, I really liked you and Riko's duet that day. It was such a touching song!"

"Aww, thanks!"

"I mean, you could actually perform that! Hey, I know! I should make a pair of similar outfits, one for you and one for Riko! Then you can wear them when you perform it, just like our other songs! But it'll be the Riko and Darren subunit! Hahaha!"

"Wow, Ruby! That's actually pretty awesome."

"Yeah! And we can name it… um… let's see… Love?"

"Really? That's so cheesy," I teased, playfully spanking Ruby who was randomly rolling around like a kid.

"Iya!" Ruby squeaked, grabbing at her rear.

"WOAH… Darren-san, what are you doing?" Dia said, emerging from the kitchen.

"N-nothing! She was just… entertaining the guest?"

"EH?"

Oh nooooo that came out so wrong….. Sighhhhh.

"It's not- ahhh, never mind!"

"Boys… anyway, dinner's ready!" Dia announced, shaking her head.

We sat around a big table, Dia's special dish of cooked fish before us, gleaming with soy sauce and other spices.

"Wow, it's great!" I said, eating.

"Mm-hmm. That's Kurosawa fish for you," Dia responded proudly.

"Oh yeah, your family is involved in the fishing industry, right?" I asked.

"Yup. We're actually pretty famous in Japan."

"Wow! This is a really nice residence."

"Yep, the fish pays off! Please, eat!"

We continued to eat, and after we finished, Ruby served us her own custom mochi. It was filled with strawberry-creme. Soooooo delicious!

"Mmmm… wow, Ruby!" I mumbled, biting into the heavenly mochi.

"I'm glad you like it!"

Dia suddenly put her hands on the table, reaching her head across.

"Hey, you want some sake?" she whispered.

"S-sake? OF COURSE!" I replied.

"Eh? Onee-chan, what about me?" Ruby protested.

"You're too young, Ruby," she replied.

"Well you are too! You're not legal at all!"

"Never mind! Ruby, go to bed soon!"

"What? But it's so early!"

"Ahh, fine! Just this once!" Dia took out a bottle of Kurosawa Sake (a real thing) and poured three cups. "Here!"

"Wow!" Ruby swiped the cup and chugged it down in a second.

"Ruby! We didn't even make a toast yet! You're gonna get drunk! Aughhhh…" Dia scolded.

"Ewwwww!" Ruby squealed, putting down the cup. "That tastes gross! Never mind, I'm going to bed!" Ruby gave me a hug. "Good night, Darren-senpai."

"Night, Ruby-chan!" Ruby left.

"Heh, sorry about my sister…" Dia chuckled.

"There's nothing to be sorry about! She's so cute!"

"Why, thank you… hey, I wanted to talk to you about stuff. Here, have another cup."

"Mm, thanks," I said, sipping the sake. "What is it?"

"You're probably wondering why I invited you over. Well, I just wanted to make sure everything was okay. You are a guest in this town, and I wanted to be sure you were feeling… comfortable. Is there anything bothering you? You know, I want you to be happy."

"Ah-Dia-senpai… it's all good. I'm so glad, there's someone looking out for me. It's so nice to have friends, you know? I know, I've never talked to you much, but I know that you're always there, supporting me. Thank you."

"Aww… Darren-chan… I just want everyone to smile. I know, there are always really sad things happening all around us, we sometimes just feel like giving in to negativity. But you know, smiling always helps. The sun is going to shine again, but it needs your help. And your smile helps a lot. By smiling, you're… beckoning the sun to come. You smile so the sun will smile down on you! Heehee! Ahh, sorry, Darren-chan… I'm kinda drunk…" Dia giggled, taking another swig. Wow, quite the drinker… but her words struck home in my heart.

All this negativity… worry about Love Live, about what'll happen after I'm gone, about Riko, about Howard… there's so many things that I don't know, that make me worried. But I have to remember what I'm doing here. I'm supposed to be living my adventure, my fun-filled school life in Japan! I'm supposed to be happy, right? That's why, I should… smile!

"Dia-chan!" I cheered, running around the table and leaping into her arms. "Dia, thank you!"

"Ah, Darren… You're kind of heavy…" Dia embraced me, her bangs hanging down over my eyes as our foreheads touched. I felt her warmth, her calming radiance pierce my chest, dissipating the worries, untying the knots in my heart. Dia patted my back, and strangely, I let out a sob.

"Oh, Dia!" I hugged her even tighter, tears running down my face. "Thank you!"

"Darren, Darren… ah, you're even harder to manage than Ruby…" Dia pried me off her, and I ended up on the ground beside her chair. "Don't cry, Darren," she whispered, wiping the tears off my cheeks. "Buu buu desu wa… you can't do that. Smile!"

"Mm!"

I looked up at Dia and smiled.

* * *

" _Kimi no egao wa saikou…"_ (Your smile is the best)... I heard Riko playing the piano, singing, as I stumbled back home late that night.

She's playing Yume no Tobira again… is that a good thing? Well, whether or not it is, I'm going to make it a good thing.

"Pssssst. Riko!" I whispered, standing beneath her balcony.

"Hm? Darren-kun? What are you doing up so late?"

"I should ask the same thing! But anyway, I love your music."

"Get inside! You're gonna catch a cold out there!"

"Mm, I'm good. I just wanted to tell you… smile!" I grinned at her, willing with all my might that she would receive my feelings.

"E-eh? O-okay!"

In the dim moonlight, through the reflection shining on her beautiful eyes, I could see Riko smile.


	25. 25: For You

25: For You

"SHINY!" Mari squealed, placing her hands on my shoulders. "Hey, guys! You found any venues for Yumedake yet? You're gonna save our school, guys! Better start holding some concerts!"

"Yeah… about that… we seriously need to find somewhere to perform," Yukio said, as we sat around the music room.

"Hey, maybe we should check out Numazu, see if they have anything there," Kent suggested.

"Good idea! Let's go right now!" Emerald said.

"Yeah!" We agreed. Yumedake waved goodbye to the rest of the girls and headed out. Before we left the door, Riko called after me, "Don't come back too late! Be safe!"

"You got it," I called back, and I swear I heard the others giggle.

We rode the bus to Numazu, and the whole way, Yukio was leaning on Kent's shoulder.  
"Hey, you jealous, Dary?" Emerald said.

"What? No!"

"I can lean on you, if you want."

"Nah, I'm good."

"Yeah, I know! You only want Riko to lean on you, right?"

"Well… that is preferred…"

Emerald smiled and proceeded to lean on me anyway.

We got off the bus, where we began to wander about aimlessly. The stale, afternoon air filled our lungs, and the sun was covered by sad clouds.

"Hey, do you have any idea where to look?" I asked Yukio, who was basically the leader of our pack.

"Uh, not really," she replied.

"Seriously? Then what are we doing?" Emerald said, sitting down on a bench. We all did the same.

"Umm… I don't know…" Yukio muttered. "Hey, do you guys… ever get the urge to just give up on something, because it just takes so long and it seems like you'll never make it to where you want to go?" Yukio said, staring into space.

"Yeah, of course," Emerald replied. "All the time. Like doing homework!"

"Well, I was actually thinking about Yumedake," Yukio said. "Can we really do this? How many more members can we attract? I know, there's a chance, but do you really think we're gonna save our school? What if, we just accepted our fate, and moved to a new school. It'll still be very fun! It's going to be here, in this city, and we'll meet so many new people! It'll be a new experience. Maybe we should just let Uranoshoshi close down."

"What are you saying?" I blurted. "How could you say that? So you mean, all those times we had together, in that school, doesn't mean anything to you?"

"Watch your mouth, Darren," Kent shot.

"No, it's okay, Kent," Yukio continued. "I'm not saying that. It's just that, maybe going to a new place isn't as bad as it seems. Besides, Yumedake is supposed to be sponsored, right? What happened to that dude who said that he would sponsor us? He's never even called us!"

"Well, we still have to try," I said. "We'll do everything we can until the end."

"I don't know about this, either," Kent said. "I agree with Yukio. Besides, in the case of Yumedake, we're gonna leave here this year, and it'll be gone too. It'll be troublesome if we become a big thing and just disband like that."

"You have a point…" Emerald agreed. We sat in silence, watching the people pass by. No. Why are they all saying this? How could we give up now? NO! I won't let Yumedake die. In a sudden burst of emotion, I stood up, running over to a large group of schoolgirls wearing gray sailor uniforms.

"H-Hey!" I shouted, and they looked at me curiously. "Everyone, please come to Yumedake's concert next week! It's going to be at Uranohoshi High! Please, tell your friends and families to come! It's going to be the best concert ever! Please!" I felt a tear squeeze out of my eye as I begged them.

"Darren! What are you doing?" Yukio said, the others running over to me.

One of the girls smiled, stepping forward and putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Oh, really? Why are you crying?"

"I just want… to save my school…" I replied.

"Uranohoshi… oh yeah, it's closing down," the girl replied. "It's a girls' school… you must be a transfer student!"

"Hold on, Yumedake?" Another girl inquired. "I saw your performance at Christmas! It was sooooo good!"

"Oh, it's Yumedake!" her friend shouted. "Can I get your autographs?" She ran over, carrying a pen and a notebook.

"Wow…" Emerald remarked, and we signed the paper.

"Since when were we that famous…" Kent said.

"Hey, everyone!" The girls announced to the rest of the crowd. "Yumedake, this really, really good band, is going to be holding a concert next week at Uranohoshi! We should all go and support them! Bring any little siblings you have, and maybe they'll want to go there next year, and we can help save the school!" The others were all interested, asking each other about Yumedake.

"Ah, well, we'll see you there!" I said, and we parted ways.

"Seriously, Darren, what was that?" Kent said. "You just told them we were gonna have a concert! We didn't even prepare for it!"

"Yeah! Now you've done it…" Emerald muttered.

"Hey, but we were pretty well-known," Yukio added. "Maybe… ahh, I guess we just gotta start practicing, eh? Let's just give this one last shot."

"Well, that's that!" I announced cheerily. Yes. This was just what we needed. Inspiration. "Anyway, now that we're here, wanna have dinner?"

"Mmmm, sure!" Emerald cheered. "What should we eat? I don't think we should get sushi, cuz Darren would want Riko with him. You know, cuz he's her sushi, and he's her wasabi? Hahah!"

"Hey!"

"Well, we could visit that street market," Yukio suggested.

"Wait, we have one of those!?" I said, excited.

"Yup! I guess it's decided, then!" Yukio took out her phone. "Now I just gotta find it."

* * *

We spent like more than an hour walking around and using maps, finally finding the bustling street market. Stalls lined the street, selling numerous skewered and fried foods, their smoke wafting high into the air. Crowds of people milled about, laughing and eating. The colorful banners advertised the delicious treats, and owners shouted out their products.

"Wow, this is a nice place," Kent remarked.

"Yeah, there's so many different things to do!"

We started with this meat skewer stand.

"Wow! This is so delicious!" I shouted. "I've never tasted such juicy meat that just gushes out flavor like this!"

"Hey, save your belly and money for the other stuff!" Emerald scorned, prying my fifth skewer away from me and eating it herself.

"Hey! You're gonna get fat!"

"Bro, I'm one of those girls who just eat like a ton of stuff and never gets fat," Emerald replied, smacking her lips.

"Yo, guys, check that out!" Kent pointed over to a stand which was selling yakisoba.

"YAKISOBA!" I screamed, running towards the stand.

"Stop being such a foodi-" Emerald stopped mid-sentence as she realized Kent and Yukio had already left, hot on my heels. "Ah, whatever," she said, and followed.

"WHY IS THIS SOOO GOOD?" I emoted, digging through plates of soy-saucy noodles.

"Dary, I'm serious! I don't want you to gain weight!" Emerald moaned, stealing a bite of noodles with her chopsticks.

"Oh yeah?" I went back in line, buying three more plates. "Yo, Emi, look here!" Emerald was gone. "Emi?"

"Where is she?" Yukio wondered, and we looked around.

"Over there!" Kent called, and our eyes turned to a large crowd gathered around a portion of the street.

"What's going on there?" I remarked, and we went to see what the commotion was all about. We found Emerald there, as well as a ton of girls, many those that we talked to earlier. At the center stood a boy, strumming a guitar, and singing a melancholy song with a solemn voice.

 _I did my part_

 _I tried my best_

 _Still, everything fell apart_

 _I know you won't love me anymore_

 _And I know that you're not here anymore_

 _But I just want you to know_

 _That I'm singing this song for you_

He strummed the last chord, and the girls went wild, squealing and cheering for him. The boy looked up, a sad expression on his face. The blond hair atop his head instantly revealed him as Howard.

"Oh, s***!" I quickly left the crowd, running back to the yakisoba line. What is he doing here? And since when did Howard play guitar? All the emotions came rushing back to me, how he never did anything wrong, how I took Riko from him, and how his mom died. No, I can't face him again.

Okay, just gotta act inconspicuous, then get out of here…

"Um, hi." I turned around to see Howard standing behind me.

"H-hi?" I replied, confused. Why is he talking to me? Doesn't he hate me?

"I'm not forgiving you for what you did," Howard said. "But I don't hate you. Just so you know." W-what? "You're a pretty cool dude. I respect that."

"W-well, you are too," I said awkwardly. Before I could say anything more, my friends and the crowd of girls arrived.

"Howard-san! Howard-san! You're from Uranohoshi, right? Are you performing in Yumedake's concert next week?" They asked.

"Huh?" He asked, confused.

"We're holding a concert," I said. "Our band."

"Please say you're performing," one girl said. "I won't go if you're not there!"

"We're performing to save our school," Kent said.

"I know, it's not likely, but we have to do anything we can," Yukio added.

"Wait- are you guys suggesting that… Howard joins Yumedake!?" I blurted.

"W-what? I mean, th-that's awesome!" Emerald cheered. I shot her a glance. "What?" Emerald suddenly attached herself to Howard's arm. "Pleaaaaaaase?" She said cutesy. "Howaardd…"

"E-Emi! What are you doing?"

"It's okay, Dary!" Emerald said. "Look, I get that you two have a lot of bad feelings towards one another. But that's exactly why we should do this!" She grabbed me by the shoulders, trying to make me hug Howard.

"Woah, watch it!" I contested. "We don't even know if he wants to do it!"

"Oh yeah, that's true…" Emerald said. We all proceeded to look at Howard, who seemed to have a dilemma going on in his mind. The random girls all waited expectedly.

"Just so you know, your guitar playing is amazing," Yukio said. "I could do with another guitarist."

Howard looked troubled, brushing the golden hair away from his pale face.  
"Fine," he said. "I'm joining. Hey, everyone! I'm going to be performing in Yumedake!" He announced, and all the girls cheered.

"Yeah! We'll see you there!"

After Howard waved bye to the girls, I didn't know why, but I hugged him.

"Sorry, man," I said, and quickly pulled away.

"Hah, it's okay, bro," Howard replied, hugging me in return, also quickly releasing me.

"Awwwww!" Emerald and Yukio squealed, and Kent was just disgusted.

"Hey, wanna ride back to Uchiura with us?" Yukio asked.

"Uh, sure," Howard replied. We began to walk back to the bus stop.

"So, what were you doing there anyway?" I asked.

"Well, because of YOU, and my life, I was all depressed and stuff. You know, I don't care about all those girls and everything. I just wanted to sing, and pour out my feelings for Riko and my mother. I mean, I don't have anything left. There's just Uranohoshi left for me, so I guess I'll do my best to save it."

"Wow, nice," I replied.

"Yo, why u gotta go and steal his girl anyway?" Kent asked.

"Hey! Don't say that!" Yukio objected. "You can't just love whoever you want to love."

"Yeah, I realized that," Howard agreed. "Darren didn't decide to love her, she didn't decide to love me. I can't force her."

"Awwwww, don't worry…" Emerald said, patting his golden hair and resting her body on his fine shoulders. Howard's face flared a bright red.

"E-eh… w-what was your name again?" He asked, embarrassed.

"Emerald! We all know you, Howard. Ya know, if you're lonely, you can just hit me up!"

"O-oh, okay! That's cool!"

Wow.

"Anyway, starting tomorrow, come to practice after school, alright?"

* * *

The next day, Howard followed us to the music room. The other girls all looked shocked when they saw him.

"U-Uh, Darren-chan! Th-there's a demon behind you!" Yohane said, pointing at Howard.

"Oh, no, it's just Howard," I replied. "He's joining Yumedake."

"W-what?" Mari said, amazed. "There's gonna be another gold hair person here! Yay!"

"How did this happen?" Dia asked, concerned.

"Long story," I replied, and decided to tell them. We proceeded to practice with as Aqours, and the whole time I noticed Howard and Riko avoiding each other like the plague. After practice with them, they left us so Yumedake could practice alone.

"We're going to start making decorations for the concert," Chika said before leaving.

"Well, what are we going to play?" Kent asked, and we stood around in silence.

"What, Koware Yasuki?" I suggested.

"Oh yeah, let's try that!"

We began to play, the heavy metal beat filling the room. Howard strummed on his electric, going completely crazy.

"Hold on, hold on!" I said. "Howard, you're standing out too much. You're not strumming in harmony with Yukio."

"What? But that's how the song goes! The guitar is supposed to stand out!"

"No, but Yukio's the lead guitar! And besides, they should _blend_ together!"

"Hey, I can play piano, too, remember? And much better than you! So don't act so high and mighty around me!"  
"Well, I beat you at Riko!"

"What did you say?"

"Woah, woah, calm down!" Emerald said, quickly running over and placing her hands on Howard's. He suddenly stiffened up.

"Yeah, sorry," He said. "Let's continue."

So practice went on, and the addition of Howard contributed greatly to our music.

"Well, we sound pretty good," I said, as we packed up our instruments. "But yeah, I kinda feel bad for you, Howard. Hey, we shouldn't just play one song, right? We're also playing Shadow Gate to Love. But here, I've got an idea… you wanted to play out, right? Well, I've got a plan."

Saturday had come before I knew it. The other students had helped to decorate the gym, lining the walls with colorful decorations and balloons. They had set up chairs in rows, stretching across to the back. Yumedake was waiting backstage, along with Aqours, who would also perform, since the occasion was perfect.

"There's so many people," You remarked, peeking behind the curtain. The gym had begun to fill, and many girls from different schools were filing in.

"How did you advertise so well?" Chika asked.

"Um, because this guy exists," I said, pointing at Howard, who grinned.

Quickly, the concert began, with Aqours starting out with a number of songs. I heard the applause of the crowd, and my heart began to race. This was it. The time to shine. We had come so far, made friends of enemies, and now was the time. It was up to us to save the school.

The Aqours girls came back, and there was a brief intermission before Yumedake, taken by our Drama Club.

"Okay, guys, time to get your head in the game," Yukio said, bringing our band in a huddle.

"Yeah. It's now or never. Let's do this," I stated.

"Ah, Darren-kun!" I turned to see Riko, in her MiraiBoku outfit, looking nervously into my eyes.

"Riko-chan!"

"Good luck," She whispered, hugging me.

"Thanks…" Riko released me, then turned to Howard, who could not run.

"Howard."

"R-Riko."

They looked at each other, speaking without words.

"Sorry," Riko blurted, giving Howard a tearful hug. "Thank you so much… I know how much you care. Thank you."

"I love you, Riko," Howard replied. "I love you."

Riko smiled, releasing him. "I know." Then she patted him on the head, turning to leave. "Go get 'em!" She cheered. "Ganba-Riko! Tee-hee!" She smiled the sweetest smile ever, and we prepared to perform.

* * *

After our first two songs, which received overwhelming praise, it was time for our final song. Howard stepped forward to the mic, grasping his guitar.

"Hey, everybody."

"Whoooo!" The girls whooped, blowing kisses at him.

"I'm Howard, if you didn't know. And for our last song today, I would like to play a little something that I wrote myself. Actually, ourselves," he said, smiling at us. He nodded, and I began my piano riff, mimicking the melody that Howard had sang that other day, but with a slight difference, with my own touch. Then Howard began to strum; began to sing.

" _I did my part_

 _I tried my best_

 _Still, everything fell apart_

 _I know you won't love me anymore_

 _And I know that you're not here anymore_

 _But I just want you to know_

That I'm singing this song for you."


	26. 26: Shiny

26: Shiny

"What? A sleepover at Mari's?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yeah! After all we've done, we should have some fun!" Chika replied, twirling around. "Get your stuff ready! Oh yeah, bring your swimsuit too!"

"Ehhh? It's not even spring yet!"

"Did you look outside? It's the best weather ever! It's, as Mari would say, SHINY!" Chika swiped open the blinds, letting in the rays of the sun.

"A-ahh! You're blinding me!" I shrieked, covering my eyes.

"Oh, sorry. Anyway, what do you think about this one?" Chika held up a skimpy orange bikini in front of me, grinning.

"Eh-" my eyes shot wide open. "Urm, well… I think… that would look great…."

"Aww, thanks! I can't wait to see your muscles, Darren!"

"Umm, I think I'll wear a shirt…"

"Ahhh, stop being so shy! I've known you for like, how many months now?"

"Okay, okay! Just don't judge my body."

"Well, I'm counting on you to do the same." Chika winked, and left the room. Okay.

I groggily began to pack some clothes for the night. Man, that was an amazing concert we had last week. Everyone was going crazy. I mean, I must have taken like ten selfies with random girls. Well, Howard got around thirty, that jerk. Anyway, we had a wonderful performance and I seriously think that we're gonna break the 100 mark. Like totally. I'm even on Youtube now!

After we ate breakfast, Chika, Riko, and I met up at the dock, where the others were waiting.

"W-what?" I saw that the other girls were all wearing beach outfits, their bikinis exposed under their robes. Oh no, this is going to be weird.

"Heya," Kent said, grinning. He kept his eyes glued only to Yukio. Wow, so loyal!

"Morning, everyone," I heart a British accent behind me, and saw Howard arrive.

"Oh, hi, Howard!" Emerald called, running over to him already clad only in her green bikini. She gave him a big hug.

"WOAH, WOAH, HOLD UP," I said, crossing my arms. "What's this?" I motioned with my hands back and forth between the hugging Howard and Emerald.

"What? I mean, you took Riko," Howard said nonchalantly, stroking Emerald's hair. What?

"Hey, hey, he didn't _take_ me," Riko corrected, a hand on her hip. Wow… my eyes were instantly glued to her; she was dressed in one of those blue short shirts which exposed her shoulders and stomach, and a pair of white short shorts. She had her hair in pigtails, tied at the ends with pink bows. Her eyes flickered over me indignantly, and she smiled slyly, bending close and putting her lips to my ear. "Yet." Her voice came out in a whisper, so that only I could hear. My body shuddered slightly, and I grasped her arm.

"Riko… what do you mean?" I said quietly.

"Oh, nothing," She replied loudly. "Great job, Darren-kun. You really played well at the concert."

"Thanks," I replied.

"Yo, yo, please explain," Howard said. "What are you talking about?"

"Did I ever say Darren and I had a thing?" Riko asked.

"Well, basically… I mean, you guys are the perfect pair…." Chika interrupted.

Riko blushed, surprised at this.

"Ch-Chika!" Riko said exasperatedly.

"Tee-hee!" Chika winked, and You giggled.

"Anyway, guys," Mari announced, "Let's go! Hop in the boat! You-chan, start the engine!"

"Aye-aye!" We piled into the boat and sailed through the calm waters, under the shining sun.

"Welcome, Miss Mari," A butler greeted us, as we got onto the dock. "Welcome, everyone."

"Oh, hey!" Mari replied. "Everyone, leave your bags here! The staff will get it for you. Now, let's have some fun in the sun! Shiny!"

* * *

"Whooo!" Kent whooped, as he splashed water at Yukio.

"Hey!" Meanwhile, Howard was chasing Emerald back and forth across the beach, trying to catch her in his arms. I sat underneath an umbrella, admiring the landscape. The beach looked out to the mouth of the bay, where the endless ocean continued. A few tourists were on the beach with us. A large stone patio filled with tables and chairs had steps which led down to the sand, and palm trees lined the sides of the hotel, around a stone path that wrapped around the building.

"Want some fruit punch?" Mari said, appearing beside me. She was down to her purple bikini, from which her large chest peeked out. She bent down, handing me a purple-colored fruity drink.

"Is it alcoholic?" I replied, looking at her package instead of her face.

"Shhh," She said, placing a finger to her lips. "Here. Take it."

"Mmm," I said, taking a sip. Mari sat down. "Darren, I really wanted to thank you for what you've done. You, and Yumedake, you're going to change everything. With all the fans you've earned… our school will definitely be saved. I owe you… anything… I'm sorry if… this," she said, indicating the beach, "Is not satisfying for you. Do you want… anything?" Mari looked at me with expectation, her eyes flitting to and fro from mine.

"Um… well… the thing I want," I began, "Can't really be given…"

"Riko, right?" Mari said knowingly.

"Y-yeah."

"Well, it's true, I can't give her to you… but I can help you!"

"Really? What are you going to do?"

"Hold on!" Mari leapt to her feet, turning with a swish of her behind. She ran across the sun soaked sand, to where Riko was walking down the steps from the patio, carrying a basket. I saw Mari whisper something into her ear, pointing over at me. Riko's eyes followed her finger, and made eye contact with me. She giggled, lifting a hand to cover her mouth. Mari turned and winked at me, then ran away to play with the others. Riko looked around, as if making sure no one could see, then approached me, smiling. My heart began to race, seeing her striding across the beach gracefully.

"Hi, Darren," she said simply. "Why are you sitting here alone? Don't you want to play with the others?"

"I want… to play with you," I blurt, then quickly cover my face. "I mean, not like that!"

Riko giggled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. She set the basket down on my towel.

"It's okay, I know what you mean. I wouldn't mind playing with you too." Riko stretched, then did a whimsical spin in the sand. She tugged on her pigtails, then let them fall to her shoulders.

"Well, here goes nothing!"

Riko pulled off her shirt, revealing a white bikini with a pink floral pattern. I gulped, eyes transfixed on her slender frame. Her eyes briefly saw mine, and she reached down to her shorts, unbuttoning them and slowly unzipping. Her face was rose pink as she slid them off her body. The bottom was of the same design, with a small skirt covering a small amount of her rear. Her long legs shone, smooth and perfect. She willed herself to look at me, eyes searching my face for approval. I did not notice that my mouth hung open in awe.

"Hahah!" Riko burst into laughter. "I don't look _that_ good," she teased, plopping down next to me under the umbrella. She reached over and sipped from my straw. "Mmm! Mari's punch is good!"

"Y-you… want… one…?" I stuttered, heart racing as Riko's exposed body drew closer to mine.

"No, it's okay! I have yours." Riko scooted closer, so that her shoulder was up against me. I felt her tenseness ease, and she let her legs fall so that her right one was touching my left. I instantly broke into a sweat, as I felt her sweet, soft skin. We spent minutes in silence, gazing out across the ocean. A light breeze passed, caressing her cheeks and blowing hair across her pleasant face. Before she could brush it away, I did it for her.

"Thank you," She said, embarassed.

"Mm." I couldn't stop glancing at the pair of legs next to mine, at the cute bikini she wore, at her quaint lips. I was enraptured by her aura, and it tore at my heart. If I could just reach over… and kiss her….

"Darren-kun, it's such strange weather today, isn't it?" Riko said, interrupting my thoughts.

"Hah! I guess. Well, back in California, we have weather like this more often than not. This is like normal."

"Really? That must be nice!"

"Nah… It gets really tiring having the same old sun beating down on you."

"Say… do you ever miss home?"

I thought for a moment.

"Home? No. This is my home."

"Aww, that's so sweet… But don't you miss your friends, your family?"

"What is there to miss? I mean, here, I'm with you… and everyone else."

"But there must be something… something that you look forward to seeing again."

"I don't think so. I have everything I want here. I never want to go back."

"Hahaha! I wish I could feel like you. I still have things I miss in Tokyo. All the convenience, the nightlife…"

"Well I don't. You know what? Maybe we should start a bonfire later, and I'll just throw my passport in and burn it!"

"In that case, we're gonna have to deport you," Riko said, smiling.

"I'll run, then! I'll run to the mountains, where they'll never find me. I'll live off the land, build my own little cottage…."

"You're funny," Riko laughed. "I wish I could spend forever here too. I mean, with you."

Her words took all of mine from my mouth, and I searched frantically for a reply. I decided to place my arm around her, caressing her. Riko leaned her head on my arm, her hair trailing over me.

"Don't worry," I said, squinting up at the sun. "I'll find a way to make that happen. Definitely." I felt my love for Riko growing uncontrollably, my heart set to burst. A determination formed inside me, a desire to be with my dear princess forever.

"You better," Riko whispered. "I'm counting on you." She sat up, opening her basket. "Here. Let's go play with the others! I got some sunscreen. You know how I said I hate the smell of sunscreen, and abhore it with all my heart? Well, this was the one time I enjoyed it. "If you want to," Riko said, "You can rub it on for me."

"W-what?"

"Go ahead." Riko tossed the bottle to me, then turned over on the towel, exposing her back. Arms shaking, I opened the sunscreen bottle and squirted a blob onto my hand. What the heck is going on!? I placed the cream on Riko's back, and began to spread it around, smoothing it out with my fingers. She giggled as I did so, swinging her legs back and forth.

"O-ok, put your legs down, I'm going to do them next," I said nervously.

"O-kaayy," Riko sang. I obtained another blob, and divided it between my two hands. Then I reached down, placing a hand on each of her thighs. "Yaaaa!" Riko squealed, stifling her giggles.

"S-sorry!" I said, but did not take away my hands. I moved them across the length of her legs, down to her feet.

"Wow, you're good," Riko said sensously, turning onto her back. "Now… front side…"

Oh no, how am I supposed to do this? I avoided eye contact, and began working the sunscreen across her arms, shoulders, then- "Go ahead," Riko whispered. I quickly did the parts of her chest, moving to her belly. She whimpered as I did so, and I felt my insides break down.

"Ahhh, Riko! Why on Earth are you so pretty!?" I cried, putting the bottle down.

"Hey. You're not finished."

I worked up her legs, up to her upper thighs. Then there came the part of her body which her bikini bottom exposed, her rear and her front. With all the courage I could muster, I lathered the sunscreen onto her butt, bringing my arms around and across her bikini lines.

"Kyahahhh!" Riko screamed, jerking up and pulling my hands away.

"Ahhhh! I'm sorry!" I yelled. We both breathed heavily, sweat beading down our necks.

"No, I'm sorry. I just got a little nervous… I mean, it's the first time a boy did this to me…"

"Well, this is the first time I did this to a girl!"

"O-okay. There's still my face left…" I looked to her face, preparing a final drop of sunscreen.

"Did- did you get sunburned already?" I asked, examining her blushing face.

"I was going to ask the same thing," Riko replied, seeing mine.

* * *

"It's time you two arrived!" Mari yelled. "We're just about to start our volleyball game!" I looked around to see the others position on opposite sides of the volleyball net, all eyes on us.

"Ah, sorry," Riko apologized.

"What were you two doing this whole time?" Yohane asked, grinning.

"Nothing," I replied. "How bout' you?"

"Well, we were all having fun in the sun," Kanan interrupted. "Except for you two."

"Whooooooo!" Howard and Kent whooped and whistled.

"Ooooohhh, how was it?" Chika asked, nudging me.

"What was what?" I asked frantically.

"Well, the fact that you two are 'sunburned' in the face without even coming under the sun clearly tells us something," Dia observed.

"We should have done that!" Emerald said, turning to Howard.

"Stop it, guys," Yukio commanded. "Don't make assumptions like that."

"Okay, okay! Let's get playing!" Mari said, and we began our game. As we played, I felt the tension in my body leave me, and I laughed, striking the ball with all my might.

"Nice one!" You called, slapping me in the back. The ball came vaulting back over, and I dove for it, crashing into Mari.

"Ahhh!" I landed face-first onto her, my hands breaking my fall- on top of her chest. I stopped for a moment, realizing what had just happened. "AHHHHHHHHH!" Mari squirmed under me, pushing me off. She quickly stood up, blushing profusely, covering her chest with her arms. She turned away, violated. Noo! I got to my feet.

"Soorry! Mari-senpai! It was an accident!" Mari shyly turned to me. "I… know…"

"Hahah! Mari, what's wrong?" Kanan said, running over. "I mean, you always touch mine!"

"He's a boy," Mari accused. "I'll sue you," she said to me.

"W-what? I said, it was an accident!"

"Just kidding," Mari said. "But… I don't really feel comfortable when people do that…"

"Even with me?" Kanan said slyly, wiggling her fingers around Mari.

"Hey!" Kanan grabbed Mari. "Ahhhh!"

We all burst into laughter, enjoying the company of our treasured friendship.

* * *

The bonfire burned bright, iluuminating the darkening night. Sparks shot into the air, with them our spirits of elation and camaraderie.

"Tonight, we dedicate our thanks to Yumedake, for saving our school!" Mari announced.

"Yeah! Go Yumedake!"

"Our heroes!" We all drank purple punch, gathered around the fire.

I felt a strong, tender feeling of bond and connection with those around me, who had been with me through thick and thin. I observed their figures, sitting around in the sand. These friends who have given their all, with me, to make our dreams come true.

"And as you know, today is that last day for Uranohoshi applications," Mari continued.

"Wait, it's the last day?"

"Yeah, you didn't know? But don't worry, we'll make it!"

"But I thought this happened after the second perfomance."

"No, we already did our second performance," Chika explained. "Remember? You came here at the end of summer. We were already months into the school year. We already did our first performance."

"What? But what about how we needed a live band to perform?"

"Well, they implemented that rule after the first performance."

"Oh, okay. And here I was thinking that we still had another performance before finals."

"Nope! This is it. Next thing, we're on to finals!"

"Yeah! Let's sing a song, shall we?" Mari suggested. "Since we're all together anyway. And we won't be for much longer." We all agreed, smiles all around.

" _Try and be brave_

 _I know it's scary_

 _I could not do it from the start either…_

 _...Let's chase them as many times as it takes and don't lose_

 _Everyone fails sometimes_

 _But dreams won't fade, dreams won't fade_

 _Let's chase them as many times as it takes and don't lose_

 _Because today after all is today and once you wake up, it'll be a new morning..._

 _...I want to say that I've fulfilled my dreams_

 _That there's nothing undone, but when will that day come?"_

* * *

"Look! There's already 98 people!" Mari shouted, as we gathered around her laptop. We were in Mari's large room, which was filled with elaborate furniture and a curtained bed. "Don't worry, guys! We can sleep now! Everyone get to bed!"

"Yeah!" They cheered, slapping me and the others of Yumedake on the backs.

"Thanks to you, everything was changed," Dia said, embracing me. "Smile," She whispered. "You did it."

The others left the room, chatting happily.

"We're gonna wake up, not to one hundred, but two hundred!" Riko said, pumping her fist in the air. "Good night, Darren-kun! Finally, we can sleep well. After all those sad nights… We've done it. See you in the morning!" And with that, everyone left the room. Except for me.

"Darren-kun, why are you still here?" Mari asked, concerened. "You should sleep! We've had a long day of fun."

"Mm. Thanks, Mari. Today was a great day. And thanks for… your little suggestion… to Riko. What did you tell her, anyway?"

"Oh," Mari chuckled. "I said that you looked lonely and that she should talk to you. That's it."

"Oh, okay."

"Well, if you want, you can sleep here, just for tonight," Mari said, rising to close and lock the door.

"What? In your room? That's…"

"Don't worry about it. You and I can be the first to see our results in the morning!"

"Sure…"

"Here, sit!" Mari sat down on her bed, and I climbed on with her. She was wearing her silk night robe, and her golden hair was brushed and luscious. The moonlight shone in through her windows, illuminating her soft features.

"I want to thank you once again, for everything you've done." Mari fingered her robe, and twirled her hair. "I feel like I should reward you even more… you don't understand how much saving the school means to me."

"I'm… happy…" I replied, gazing into her. She suddenly reached out and pushed me down, pinning my arms to the bed. She placed her legs on either side of mine, and leaned her face close to mine. She puckered her lips, reaching forward. Wait, what? No, no! I can't cheat on Riko!

Mari kissed me on the forehead.

"Teehee! You thought I was going to make you cheat on Riko?" Mari rolled off me, stretching out her arms and legs. "I was just playing with you. Don't worry… you'll be with Riko soon."

"I hope so," I replied.

"Well, we should sleep now. Unless you want to stay up until we reach a hundred applicants," Mari said, yawning.

"Hey look! It just changed to ninety-nine!" I said, pointing at the laptop on her desk.

"Whoo! Yeah! Now I'm definitely going to sleep. See ya later!" Mari yanked the sheets over herself. Maybe I should get to sleep too. I laid back my head, thinking. What a time I had. Today, the past week, the past month… This whole experience. Who would have thought I would go through all this? I was just a random person, who somehow managed to appear across the world, at this exact place. Only fate could have brought me here. I gazed up at the moon, its soft and melancholy glow shining upon the waters. I felt tears well up in my eyes. I'll never forget this place. I won't.

Just then, a movement caught my eye. I looked once more to Mari's computer.

APPLICATIONS CLOSED

TOTAL APPLICANTS: 99


	27. 27: This Is It

27: This Is It

The morning rays of light pierced through the blinds of Mari's bedroom, illuminating our tear-stained faces as we stood, staring at the screen in disbelief.

"Ninety… nine…." I murmured. How? My body was numb with shock. "It wasn't enough… it wasn't enough…."

All the hope I had was gone. How could this have happened?

"How? We… we all tried so hard…." Riko said.

"I thought… we… were going to change things, right?" Yukio said, choking on her tears. "We were going to make a difference, right?"

"It wasn't enough…" I repeated. I fought my tears, but they came, overflowing. I felt my body lurch in sobs, and I covered my face with my hands. "Why?! Why?! WHHHHHY?!"

No one had an answer to my question.

"After everything we did…" Mari whispered, "After all the ups and downs… we still… couldn't do it…."

Chika fell to the floor, crying. We were all crying.

"Yume...dake… was supposed to be what saved us… it was certain that the school would be saved… we were all so happy… just last night! Just last night…." Dia cried in anguish.

Our sadness was all-consuming, and there was just this weight on my heart, so heavy that I could not breathe. I had failed. I had failed everyone.

"Please...please…" I felt Yoshiko's face on my shoulder, as she wept. "Why did this have to happen, Darren-senpai? Why did this have to happen?" Her voice, solemn and cold, constricted my empty heart.

"Why did it have to?" I replied, feeling another wave of tears coming. "Why did it have to!? WHYYY?!" I grabbed Yoshiko in my arms, shaking her. "WHY?!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" she screamed, shoving me. "I THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD SAVE THE SCHOOL! DIDN'T YOU PROMISE US? YOU PROMISED!"

"I DID! I DID, OKAY? BUT I FAILED! I FAILED!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. The pain; the guilt I felt, could not be expressed in words. How could it be so close? Just one person! This is like getting that one good in School Idol Festival, and not getting a full combo! "WHHHHYYYYYYY!?" I pushed past the others, out the door. I ran down the hallway to the fire exit, sprinting round and round down the flights of stairs, the world a blur. I went as fast as my legs could carry me, tripping at one stair, tumbling, scraping both my legs, getting up, and continuing to run. I burst outside, just as the rain started to pour. It fell, cold and crisp on my face, as the sky darkened to gray. I stumbled into the sand, desperately making my way to the the waves. I fell to my knees at the shore, digging my hands into the moist sand, tears mixing with the earth.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" I yelled over the ocean. "WHY DID THIS HAPPEN TO ME? I NEVER ASKED TO COME HERE! IT WAS ALL A MISTAKE! I'M NOT THE ONE! IT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ME!" I cried, again and again. Everything was a waste. Everything. " I… I WISH I NEVER CAME HERE!" Out of breath, I continued to sob until I could not.

I expected the others to come for me, but they did not.

Throughout the course of the day, I sat in place, watching the empty beach, listening to the sound of the waves. I had failed.

I noticed, on the edge of my vision, that You had sat down at the patio, but left after thirty minutes. I thought I caught a glimpse of Mari in her room, looking out her window. Kanan was jogging across the sand, ignoring me.

So this is how it ends.

I guess… there's no point trying for Love Live, anyway. How can we go on like this?

I never asked for this to happen. But it did. I guess we were never meant to save the school. I guess there's no point in changing our fate. I guess I really am living in a fanfiction. In the end, the canon prevails….

As I sat in despair, I glanced back across the waves in the other direction. I saw the row of houses, standing quaint and peaceful, exactly the same as when I had first arrived. I remembered the first night, when I arrived. I was so happy. I was so excited, for whatever would pass. I thought that nothing could go wrong. I was here, right? I was living my dream, right? What could have been better than that? When I first met Riko, when Chika opened the door to me. The hospitality, the kindness I recieved… how could I repay them? I'm not overly kind or anything, I'll admit that. But I thought, that just maybe, I could do something to show my thankfulness to them. I thought that maybe, through saving the school, I would be worthy, that I had done something useful with the time I was here. But no.

I did not do anything. Nothing to help.

In fact, I made it worse.

To be even closer to their goals, but just short of them. To have fallen short, just barely. Not by two, but by one. Does that make it worse? Yes. It does.

How could this world be so cruel?

Me, out of everyone, was chosen to come here. I wasn't even special or anything. So that's why I thought I was meant to come here. Maybe I was. But it was for nothing good, nothing good. It was only for pain, to destroy me, to destroy others. That's what I'm good for. Destroying others. I should just play along, right? There's nothing I can do to change it.

Morning had faded to noon, faded to afternoon, faded to twilight. Yet I was still on the beach.

Clouds still hung overhead, and the rain had continued to pour. I caught a glimpse of the first star, shining bright through the dreary gray.

"D-Darren?"

I turned and found myself face to face with Yoshiko, who squatted down next to me.

"Y-Yoshiko…"

"I- it's Yohane…" She whispered, taking a seat on the sand. She stared out over the ocean, which was rapidly darkening. "You've been here the whole day."

"Y-yeah."

"Well, everyone's gone home already."

"Mm."

Yoshiko placed a hand softly on my shoulder.

"S-sorry… for pushing you earlier. I was just so angry. At everything," she said.

"It's… okay. I am too."

"Yeah. We're all… angry. And sad. And disappointed."

"Mm."

"Well, I know this won't help, but… there's nothing we can do about it anymore, right? We already did everything we could. "

"But… we didn't… if only I tried a little bit harder… if only I was more aggressive, instead of the wreck and failure of a person I am…"

"Don't say that, all feel the same way. If only we tried a little bit harder… Mari said the exact same thing."

"Well. I feel like, since I was here, I was supposed to make the difference. But I didn't."

"Don't feel that way. To be honest, I feel that way all the time. Because I'm so weird and everything. I've always felt very… ashamed about myself. Like everything bad that happens is because of me. Like… I'm a fallen angel or something."

"Haha. Well, I guess you could count me one too," I said dryly.

"Nah. You're a real angel, Darren. I don't think we could have made it this far without you. How could we have performed, without your band? See, you did change something, Darren. You've gotten us at least this far. I think that's enough." Yoshiko hugged me, her black hair falling against mine.

"Yoshiko…" I hugged her back, crying.

"Darren-senpai, you're going to catch a cold out here… come on, let's get you home…"

We stumbled away in the rain.

* * *

"What happened, Darren-kun?" Mrs. Takami said, rushing to help me in.

"Nothing…" I took of my shoes, and wiped the rain off my face.

"Chika came back earlier, and she's been trapped in her room. I hear her crying. I don't know what's wrong."

"A lot of things are wrong," I replied.

"Here, go get changed, and come back. I want to hear everything." Mrs. Takami patted my head. "I'm your mother here, and I need to know what's wrong. You're my responsibility, you know."

Not wanting to talk, but not wanting to betray her kindness, I did as I was told.

Mrs. Takami had me sit down in the living room, and she sat down next to me.

"This is about the school closure, right?" She said. "I just heard about it."

"Yeah. After everything we did to save our school, it was for nothing in the end."

Mrs. Takami sat in thought for a moment. "I guess it is too bad," She said. "But that doesn't mean everything you did was a waste. You all had fun together, right? You made many friends, many memories… I think that's worth it, right?"

"I mean, I guess…"

"Besides, you shouldn't feel bad for the others. Sure, it's sad to leave a place that you loved for so long, but in the end, nothing lasts forever, right? We've got to move on, to a new place. We can't always stay. There's new things to look forward to, so many different and exciting things. That's the way life works. It keeps changing, it keeps bringing you to new places. So don't worry. The rain will dry, in time."

"Mrs. Takami…" I said, wiping tears from my eyes.

"It's okay," She said. "Come here." She took me in her arms, patting my back. "You know, back when Chika was little, she would always get angry, whenever one of her sisters got to do something she could not. Because she wasn't tall enough to go on the rides, because she had to get a smaller scoop of ice cream… Chika was a troublesome child. She would throw a fit whenever things frustrated her… but over the years, she has grown. That's why she's always so happy and cheerful now. But since this business with the school closure and everything, I just don't know. Whenever she was sad, I used to sing her this song:" Mrs. Takami cleared her throat, and began to sing, a soft and solemn melody.

" _Don't cry, don't cry…_

 _The rain will go away…_

 _And when it does, I'll take you to the grove_

 _Where mikan grows_

 _And I 'll pick one, no, two_

 _Just for you_

"Mother!" Chika said, bursting out from the hallway. She joined us, clinging on to her mother.

"Oh, Chika," Mrs. Takami said, hugging her daughter. "You haven't changed a bit, haven't you?"

"Waaaaaaaaaaahhhh!" Chika cried. "Wahhhhhhh!"

I don't why, but the scene just made me laugh.

"Chika, you're too cute," I blurted, pinching her cheeks.

"Darren…" Chika said softly, blushing.

"Okay, okay, what's going on here?" Mrs. Takami said.

"Oh, nothing! I just thought Chika was super funny, because she's acting like a child!" Wow, why did I have to say Chika was cute in front of her mom?

"Yeah, I know, right?" Mrs. Takami replied, laughing.

"Hey!" Chika said, fighting back a smile. "Well, I guess I am really immature," she said, grabbing me and pulling me close. I don't know why, but that night, we went to sleep, without mentioning Love Live again.

* * *

"Good morning!" Chika said, barging into the door. I was already awake, for about an hour. I was staring out the window, out at the soft waves, the cloudy sky. The salty scent of the ocean filled my nose, and I felt like running to the sea. This feeling felt really familiar, and I recalled my first morning here. It was the same scene, waking up to the beautiful dawn, looking out the window… except that this time, the sun was covered. I remember when I had tried to jump out the window and run for the sea, when Chika entered, causing me to fall to the floor in a humiliating pile.

Apparently, Chika was thinking the same thing, because she said, "Darren, this is just like the first morning you were here! I came in your room, and you were just at your window, staring at the sea. It's so nostalgic, isn't it?"

"Yep. Except this time, I can't see the sun."

"Don't worry about it. It'll come out soon."

We went to school, and continued with our lives.

I guess not all dreams can come true, right?

But still, after class, we headed to the club room, because that was the only thing that we knew. It has always been that way.

We all found ourselves at the door, emotions a mixture of sadness and happiness.

"It's locked," Mari said.

On the door was a piece of paper. It read: COME TO THE ROOF- YOUR FRIENDS.

Without a word, we made our way to the roof of the school.

We came out upon the sun bleached concrete, and were greeted by a huge commotion.

"Aqours!" I heard a voice shout. We ran to the railing, and saw that the courtyard was filled, with everyone from our school.

"Aqours!" A large chorus of voices cheered, filling the school. "Thank you!" The students cheered, releasing a huge collection of balloons which spelled out "Thank you".

"Why-why are you doing this?!" Mari shouted back, leaning over the railing.

"Because, you have done so much for us! It doesn't matter if our school stays or not! It will always be in our hearts- and all of you helped make that happen!" Somebody shouted.

"Yeah! We want you to keep going, and win Love Live!" Another said. Voices of agreement ran throughout the crowd. Mari grinned. I looked around at my friends, and found that they were all grinning too. I felt myself grinning ear to ear. It was as if a string was connecting all of us, and it had been pulled taut in an instant, and all of us were in accord, thinking, knowing the same thing without saying a word.

"I think we all knew this would happen," Kanan said.

"Yeah. We didn't say anything, but I knew it would happen," Dia agreed.

"After all, we've done everything we could, right?" Mari said. "That's all there is to it. It doesn't matter if we were one off, or a hundred off. The truth is still the same. We couldn't save our school. But that's not going to stop us from shining. Sure, it's sad, but what can we do? It's only right that we win Love Live. That's all we can do to make sure Uranohoshi will be remembered."

"Y-yeah!" I said, addressing the crowd. "We will win! Don't worry about it! We'll make sure this school will be remembered, forever and ever! I promise!" The crowd cheered.

I was making more promises, but I knew that I would fulfill them. There was nothing left to do. This was it.

Riko held my hand.

"Darren…" tears were in her eyes, but she was smiling. "I know how you felt. I felt the same way. But I don't want you to be sad for me; for our friends. Nothing is your fault. Through everything we did, it wouldn't have been the same without you. Darren, I- Darren, I don't know how to say this…" Riko intertwined her hand in mine, and buried her face in my shoulder.

Ï put my hand on her head.  
"Riko-chan." My heart beat fast. "I know we will win. I know it in my heart." I took her other hand, and she met my gaze. Everyone in the school could see.

"Darren…" Riko blushed, realizing that all eyes were on us.

"I've got an idea." I leaned in close, next to her ear. I whispered, then drew away, and as I did so, I let my lips brush over her soft cheek. She slowly put her hand where my lips had graced, her eyes wide in surprise.

"But… but…" Riko stuttered, reacting to my idea.

"We're gonna do it." I turned to the others, my smile shining like the sun, which had just broken free from the gloom. "Everyone! Let's practice! We're going to win Love Live!"


	28. 28: Love Live

28: Love Live

We've been trying so hard to make our dreams come true. Even after everything that happened, we're still trying. After all the struggles, disappointment, and pain. We're still here, and we're still trying. And we won't stop until it's over.

I didn't come here expecting to be a part of all this- and yet I am. It was my destiny. And now, it was time to fulfill it.

The following weeks were a blur, as we practiced with all our hearts. Day in, day out, cold or hot, we practiced our songs over and over. With a burning determination, to win Love Live. Saving the school didn't matter anymore. That matter was over, and there's nothing we could have done about it. There was only one thing left, one thing to fight for. It's time for us to try our best- no matter how hard it seems. Because we've already come this far. And that's the only thing we can do.

Before I knew it, Love Live was two days away.

"Darren-kun…" Chika mumbled, as she woke. I knelt beside her bed, and she reached out to me. I took her hands in mine, and felt their warmth.

"Chika-chan, it's time for school…" I whispered.

"Hm? What time is it…"

"It's already seven in the morning. Come on, sis. Let's get going!"

Chika giggled, rising from the bed.

"Ah, we've been living with each other for so long already. We've had so many happy memories… and sad ones too. I don't think I can stand a house without you after this is over. You being here has changed everybody so much…" Chika hugged me tightly, her soft strands of hair against my cheek. I felt a tingling warmth in my heart, and I hugged her in return.

"Don't worry, Chika. I won't ever forget you."

"Mm. I won't either."

We walked outside, dressed in our uniforms. The sky was cloudy.

"Soon, we won't be walking to school like this anymore," Chika said softly.

"Yeah. No more joking around with you, Riko, and You, as we walk along this road… remember the first morning when we went to get my uniform, and I was so worried that they were gonna give me a girl uniform?" I remarked.

"Yeah! Ah, that feels so long ago. And we were all so nervous to be in the company of a guy. If only we could go back to those days…"

"What are you guys talking about?" You piped, appearing behind us.

"Oh, hey You-chan! Morning!" I said, smiling at her.

"Hi Darren…" You looked at me with an expression of pain, then quickly pasted a smile upon her face.

"Is something wrong, You-chan?" Chika asked.

"Mm. Nothing's wrong." You gulped, and suddenly clasped my hand in hers, bringing her face inches from mine. "D-Darren…"

I felt my heart beat faster. What could You be doing?

"Darren! I…" You took a deep breath, as beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

"You-chan, what are you doing?" Chika exclaimed, grabbing You's arm.

"Darren…" You continued, ignoring her. "You know… I wanted to tell you something, since I won't be seeing you anymore pretty soon. Are you okay with that?"

"Uh-Uh, yes! Of course, You-chan. Tell me anything you like." I patted her on the head, and she blushed.

"Well, you know that night, when we were in the mountains, and I asked to kiss you? And I did, on your cheek. And that time when you saved me from drowning, as we were sailing to Mari's hotel. And that day when it first snowed, and I kissed you then too. I-" You cleared her throat. My heart beat rapid fire, as I anticipated and dreaded her words.

"And the thing is, I've always been watching you, from the sidelines. I really care about you."

I noticed from the edge of my vision that Riko had arrived from her door, and was standing beside me. But I was too shocked by You's words to greet her. You saw her too, but continued to speak.

"Actually, Darren, I love you. I've loved you since I laid eyes on you… I know, I haven't made it very obvious at all, and-" You and I were blushing beet red, and Chika and Riko's eyes shot wide open.

"-and, I won't try anymore. Because I know that you love someone else. And I support that. I think, you'd be much happier with her. So, I won't stop you."

"Y-You-chan!" I exclaimed, pulling her into my arms. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"No, it's okay! You don't have to be sorry for me, I understand. Please. Don't be sad." You shed tears, and my heart twisted into a knot.

"You, I really really like you! Don't think that I like you any less… please, if you want me to do anything for you, I'll do it!" My heart was in my mouth.

"What I want you to do, Darren," You said, sniffing, "is to go after who you love. I know it's hard, but I want you to be brave. Because time is running out. We don't have all day."

"But You, what about you?"

"I'm okay! Don't worry about me…" You released me, and smiled, tears still shimmering in her eyes.

"You-chan…" Chika said, shocked. "You never told me…"

"I know… I'm sorry. But I knew it would never work out. Don't worry about me."

"Aww, You!" Chika squished her cheeks. "You're so cute. Don't be sad!"

"Of course I won't! Riko-chan, let's go to school!" Riko looked as if she had been snapped out of a trance.

"Y-yes, of course! Let's go!" Riko said in her clear, sweet voice. She eyed me nervously.

"M-morning, Riko," I stuttered.

"G-good morning," she replied. "D-did you know You liked you?"

"No," I replied. "I hope she's okay."

"Mm." Chika and You walked ahead of us, and turned their heads to give us a wink.

"Don't worry, Darren-kun," Riko said. "You're loved by someone. Trust me."

The whole way to school, I felt our hands brush together, then draw away, as if they were attracted by a magnet. We both seemed to desire holding hands, though none of us dared to do so. Before I knew it, the dreamlike walk was over.

* * *

We entered school, taking in the gates, the path, the buildings… which we would soon see no more.

"Win Love Live!" A student said as we passed.

"Yeahh! Go Aqours!" another cheered. Students who saw us parted way for us, bowing deeply.

We thanked everyone as we walked past. I smiled as I felt their emotions, hopes, and dreams, resting on my shoulders. My school. My people.

We entered class, and I sat down at my seat.

"Hi Darren!" Yukio said, standing beside me and patting me on the shoulder.

"Oh, hey Yukio! Hey Kent!"

"Wassup," Kent said, texting on his phone.

"Who you textin', eh?" I teased.

"Oh, just some friends from New Zealand. They really miss me. I miss them too."

"What? Is it a girl? You can't be cheating on Yukio!"

"Actually," Yukio informed, "We're not together anymore."

"Whaaaat? No!"

"It's okay," she said. "We've decided that it's better for both of us. Because, Kent's going to be leaving soon, like you, and we won't be able to spend time together anymore. It's better this way."

"But… that's so sad!"

"Don't worry, mate!" Kent assured. "I have plenty of lasses waiting for me back home. Doesn't mean I'll ever forget Yukio, though." They both laughed.

"To be honest," I said, "I kinda had a crush on you at the beginning of the year," I admitted. "You're like super cute, and every single time you talked to me my insides would melt. And your hair is so soft and smells like strawberries all the time," I blurted spontaneously.

"What the heck?" Kent said.

"Uhhhhh… okay…." Yukio replied. "Haha! You like my shampoo? I'll tell Riko to use it next time. Maybe then you'll fall in love with her even more!"

"Shhhh! Not so loud!" I shushed, putting a finger to her mouth.

"Eeeek!" Yukio cried, trying to push my hand away, but at that moment Kent pushed his chair back, knocking Yukio's legs. She toppled over and came crashing down on top of me.

"Ahhhhh!" Apparently, her lips had found mine exactly, and were in that position for a full ten seconds. We frantically struggled to get up.

"Y-Yukio!" I said.

"Oh man… I just kissed you!" Yukio exclaimed.

"Don't worry, I kissed you too before."

"Yeah, I guess this makes up for that time you assaulted me on the train."

"Hahaha! Yeah," I replied. "Mm. Smells like strawberries."

After school, we all met up in the music room.

"Alright, everybody. Today, we have to practice as hard as we can. We'll be in Tokyo tomorrow, so we won't have time to practice. Just give it everything you've got, and we'll win this," Mari announced.

"Yeah. we're going to be practicing hard today, so don't forget to drink a lot of water!" Kanan took out a box of water bottles, with our names labeled on them.

"Is everyone ready to begin?" Dia questioned. "'Water Blue New World'. This song is going to blow them away!"

"Now is now, and it's different from yesterday. It's not halfway to tomorrow, now is now. Man, that is some deep stuff," I remarked.

"Not as deep as you want to be in R-" Howard started, but was slapped by Emerald.

"Shut up, perv," she said, kissing him.

"Uhhh…." We all looked awkwardly at the couple.

"What's going on?" Riko asked, confused.

"Erm, nothing," I replied, placing my hand on her shoulder.

"You guys have gotten really close lately," Hanamaru observed.

"Can we start practice?" Ruby whined. "I'm so excited!"

"Yeah, little demons! Let's go!"

We broke into song, running over the music over and over. Our voices with determination and passion. After an hour, we were gassed.

"Ah, I need water," You said, grabbing her water bottle. We all went to grab our water bottles- when I found mine, Riko stopped me.

"Here," she said, replacing my water bottle with hers. She took a small sip from mine.

"Uhhh…" I chugged down her bottle. Riko giggled, covering her mouth.

We continued to practice, my fingers tiring from constant movement. My skills had grown exponentially, and the melody of my keyboard filled the school with beauty and melancholy.

* * *

That day, just like any other, passed like the setting sun. As we left the gates, we paused for a moment, admiring the old building. The orange glow illuminated the land, and I felt a rush of chills up my body.

"Guys, I just realized. That was our last practice. Ever."

"Y-yeah. There won't be any more." Ruby began to weep, her twintails bouncing sadly.

"D-don't cry, sis!" Dia comforted, hugging her. She began to cry as well.

"Stop it everyone! It's not time for that yet!" Yoshiko cried.

"Please, everyone. Save it for after we win. Right now, we have to commit everything to winning. That's all that matters now," Kanan said.

"Yeah. Save the feelz for later," Emerald said, brushing her hair.

I looked next to me at Riko, who smiled warmly. The nostalgic orange cast a shadow across her face, and I felt my heart lurch in longing. She put her hand in mine, and we walked home.

* * *

I entered Riko's house in a daze, following her up to her room.

"Hi Darren," she said in a small voice.

"Hi Riko." We sat next to each other on her bed, looking into each other's eyes. I felt my heart thump in my chest.

"I..." Riko began slyly, grinning at me with mischievous eyes. "I really enjoyed spending this year with you."

"Me too. It was great. But hey, it's not over yet."

"Yeah, I know. It's just that, we don't know what will happen on Saturday. If we win, or lose. I just want to make the happiest memories with you, right now, while we're still happy. I want to make all the times the best, before it's over."

"Hey. We're going to win, alright? There's still more happiness to look forward to. The joy of winning. With you."

"Oh, Darren, you're such a sweet mouth," Riko chuckled, hugging my arm.

"Your everything is sweet," I replied.

Riko blushed, rising to her feet. She pulled up her stockings, and tiptoed daintily to the piano, taking a seat. "Come here," she said.

I followed her irresistible grace, sitting closely next to her.

"Here, let's play," she said, and we played the piano together.

"I love your playing," I said.

"As do I." Riko let out a shuddering breath, and cast her eyes downward. "Ah, well, I have to start packing for tomorrow. Here. You can help pick what you want me to wear." Riko grabbed her suitcase, and led me to her closet. She opened it, revealing a large collection of outfits.

"Wow, you sure about this? Don't blame me if you don't like it!" I laughed.

"It's fine! I'll like anything you pick. Trust me."

"Anything?" I grinned.

"Actually," Riko frowned, and quickly snatched her bikini away from the closet. "Not this one!"

"Aw, come on!"

"Are you serious? You were actually thinking about that? What, you want me to walk around Tokyo in a bikini?"

"What's wrong with that?"

"You're disgusting… oh my, remember when you put that sunscreen on me? I could totally just feel your fingers enjoying my body. It was so violating!" Riko punched me softly on the arm.

"Well, sorry! I mean, you told me to do it!"

"Ah, that's true… well… Darren-kun, if you want me to wear it, some other time… for you… I would do it." Riko blushed profusely, hiding her face.

"Awww Riko! Why are you so cuteeee!" I embraced her tightly, placing my cheek on hers. I felt her small breath on my neck.

"I'm so sorry, I'm such a nervous wreck today," Riko muttered. "Why am I so nervous?"

"I know why I'm nervous," I said, releasing her.

"Love Live?"

"Yeah, and something else." I smiled.

"You don't need to say it, perv," Riko said. "Are you going to pick or not?"

"Okay, okay!" I instinctively grabbed her "my sushi" shirt, and a short, white skirt.

"This?" Riko said, holding it up to her body.

"Yeah! You don't like it?"

"I love it, Darren! I knew you would pick it. You better wear yours too."

"Of course I will. Mmm, I like that skirt too."

"Oh, really? Want to see me wear it?" Riko was breathing heavily, and I was too.

"S-sure!"

Riko slid her skirt to the floor, where it pooled. She caught my eye, and I stood transfixed.

"R-Riko…" I looked up her long legs, to her thin, pink panties. She stood, embarrassed but resolute, knees slightly bent inward.

She slowly, sensually slipped on the white skirt, her long, dark hair spilling over her shoulders as she bent down. After what seemed like an hour, her skirt was on, and she did a prim, graceful twirl, showcasing her beauty.

"Do you… like it?" She asked timidly.

"I love it. I love y- it. It's really, really, really cute. Like you." I felt sweat trail down my neck.

"Thank you." The small skirt came down barely halfway of her thighs, while her white stockings came up to her knees. She put on the black t-shirt, with the comical picture of a sushi over her uniform.

"That's too much," I said, shaking my head in awe. "It's too cute!"

Riko giggled. "Well, you sure are a lucky guy!" She took out her phone and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, pulling me close. "Cheese!" She snapped a picture of the two of us, in her dainty little room. "There. Now you won't ever forget today." She pulled up the picture and set it as her background.

I planted my lips on the side of her head, feeling her silky hair.

"Teehee. Sorry I don't use strawberry shampoo like Yukio," Riko said warmly.

"That's fine. You're Riko, not Yukio."

"I mean, the shampoo I use is sakura-scented."

"Really? So that's what it was. It smells nostalgic."

"Don't even go there, Darren. Now's not time for the feelz, like Emerald said! Come on. Go prepare your own things for the weekend."

"Okay, Riko. I'll see you tomorrow."Riko kissed me on the forehead, and patted me on the back.

"Bye, Darren."

With that, I went home. I packed my things in solemn quietness, surprisingly calm. Tomorrow we would spend the day in Tokyo, and after that, is Love Live.

* * *

The next day, we still went to school, because it was Friday. After we finished, we prepared to depart. Our classmates sent us off, cheering and waving Aqours flags. I hugged a bunch of people that I didn't know, but I knew that they were supporting me. Supporting us. We grabbed our suitcases, piling onto the bus. We made it to Numazu Station, where we awaited the Shinkansen.

"It's finally coming," Kanan remarked.

"What is? The train, or Love Live?" I asked.

"Both. And the end."

"No! Why are you saying that right now? Stop being so emotional!" I replied.

"Oh my gosh, guys. You guys are the most melodramatic and cheesy people in the world. Just chill, 'kay?" Emerald shot, busily texting on her phone.

"What, you're not nervous?" I questioned.

"Not with Howard here!" Emerald planted a kiss on Howard's cheek.

"Yeah, that's right," he drawled. "Man, Darren, you're so lucky, you grew up with this girl. You're so lucky! If I was in your place, she would have been mine a looooong time ago."

"Bro, are you serious? Emerald?"

"Hey, we all have our tastes, okay?" Emerald interjected. "Howard prefers people like me. And you prefer girls like R-"

"Shhhhhhhh!" I hushed.

"What? You don't have to hide it anymore. It's pretty obvious that you-"

"Emerald, please, stop."

"O-okay."

With that, the train had arrived, and we got on, heading faster and faster to our destiny.

I took a seat next to the one and only Riko.

"Why- why are you sitting here, Dary?" she asked nervously as I cuddled up next to her.

"Why not?" I opened my bag and took out a packet of rice crackers. "Want one?"

"S-sure…" Riko tentatively opened the packet, munching on the crackers. Ahhhhh she's soooooo cuteeeeee!

"W-what are you looking at?" Riko said, looking up as she nibbled on the cracker. Her face was a rosy pink, and her eyes were loving and accusing.

"What? You of course!"

"D-D-Darrennnnn!" Riko began to breathe erratically, turning away. "Stop it! You're making me nervous!"

I gulped. That just made me want to look at her even more. I told her so.

"Darren, you- you can't say that!" Riko blushed profusely, fingering the hem of the white skirt that I had picked for her.

"Wait, you already changed into that outfit?" I asked, surprised. We had just come from school!

"Well, I… wanted… to wear it." She looked at me indignantly, shrugging.

"Awww, Riko… I should have changed into it too!"

"Okay, stop! That's too much!" Riko shuffled into the aisle, past my legs, which brushed her soft thighs. "I need to use the restroom."

"Be careful!" I shouted after her.

Oh my. What is happening to me? I just can't control myself around her.

A while later, she came back, hands folded in front of her.

"Hi." She sat down. Uhhhhhhhhhhhh….

She leaned her head on my shoulder, all the way there.

* * *

We arrived at the station, ready to take on the world.

"So, it's still afternoon, so what do you guys wanna do?" Chika asked, as we emerged into the sunlight.

"Well, we could… go to the bookstore? I'm pretty sure Riko would want to go," I suggested. Everyone looked at each other knowingly, and shook their heads.

"You guys can go together. We'll go somewhere else!" You piped.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking!" Ruby added.

"Guys, guys, what?" I replied. "Why are all of you grinding like that?"

Kanan patted me on the head.

"Riko-chan, take good care of him, okay?" she said. "We'll be around the mall. Oh yeah, don't forget to change into that cute outfit that matches with Riko's, okay?"

"W-whaaaaaat? How did you know about that? Riko? How does she know?"

"Well, duh," Maru said, holding out her phone. Riko had posted the picture she took yesterday, saying, "Picture w/ my favorite boy! Planning to twin tomorrow!"

My jaw dropped. Ummmmmm. "Uhhhhhhhh… Riko? What…"

"Iyayaaa!" Riko jumped on Maru, pushing her phone away. "You weren't supposed to see that!"

"Well, you kinda posted it publicly," I said.

"Yeah, of course you wanted people to see it, why would you post it then?" Yoshiko observed.

"Ughhhh… Well, okayy, I wanted people to see it, okay?" Riko said, flustered. "Ahhh, it's so embarrassing…"

"Don't worry, we support it!" You cheered.

"Su-support what?"

"Okay, okay! Just go on your honeymoon already!" Mari laughed, pushing Riko and I away. "Ciao!"

The others skipped away, casting smirks back at us.

"Uhh. H-hey." I looked sideways at Riko, who was still blushing.

"Ah, hi Darren. W-well, shall we go?"

"Yep." We walked for a while, until we found the bookstore.

"Hey, this is the same one as the one we went to during Christmastime. Remember when I was so depressed and everything? And I met you at the door?"

"Uh huh. And it was all because you saw me kiss Howard."

"Well, what do you expect me to do? I was devastated!"

"It's fine. Let's go!" Riko opened the door for me, and we entered. We spent a while browsing the books together, but the whole time I was paying more attention to her than the books. Her beautiful frame, bending down, reaching up to examine the books. He luscious hair, long and dark…

In what seemed like a minute, Riko had led me to the cashier, where she made her purchase.

"What did you get?" I asked. "More yuri stuff?"

"What? Eww, of course not!" she replied. "I got a photo album."

"A photo album? For what? Don't you have a phone?"

"Yeah, of course! What do you think I got it for?"

"I have no idea… to put pictures in?"

"Yes! Pictures of us! For you." She turned to me, opening up the white album, which had pink flowers patterened on it.

"For me?"

"Yeah. Don't worry about it! I'll give it to you before you go home." Riko smiled, poking me on the cheek.

"Okay, I'll be expecting it!" My heart raced with excitement. "Shall we meet the others?" I held out my hand.

"Mm!" Riko took it.

* * *

We met up with the rest of our friends, and we headed out for dinner. I had changed into my outfit, and we were greeted by their enthusiastic voices.

"Let's go eat shabu shabu," Chika suggested. We all agreed.

"Hey, it's just like that first dinner I had with you, Riko, and You!" I said.

"Yup! That's why!" We ate a ton of food, laughing and joking around. Riko took a picture with me, in our twinning outfits.

"I'm gonna post this one for everyone to see!" She announced.

"Everyone… the day we've all been waiting for is tomorrow," Dia said.

"Yeah. It's finally here," I said.

"We've all tried so hard… all those hours of practice…"

"All the times we failed, all the happy memories…"

A feeling of nervousness overtook me. We've been passing through every day, laughing, crying… and now, the end is near. Where did all the time go? What about tomorrow? Would we see the sunset with a smile, or tears?

We made a toast, without sake this time, to Love Live. To win.

* * *

"Do you want to win?" Chika asked me that night, as we sat around in the inn.

"Win? Of course!" I said.

"Why do you want to win?"

"Well, for our school. For my friends."

"Is there… anything else? Anyone else?" Chika whispered, scooting closer.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. You have to face it, Darren. There isn't much time left. Tell her- how you feel."

"Chika!"

"Do it. Do it for her." Chika punched me in the chest, and turned away. "Let's go to bed, guys! It's time to shine tomorrow!"

"Everyone, I'm so nervous," Ruby said. "Maybe, we should practice one more time?"

"No. We've already done everything we could," Dia said resolutely. "Just have faith in everything we've done up to here. No matter what happens tomorrow, we tried our very best."

"Yeah. Let's just… chill!" You threw a pillow, and it collided right with my face.

"Argh! You're gonna get it!" I threw it back at her, but hit Riko instead.

"Hey!" In an instant, we were all laughing, screaming, and throwing pillows.

* * *

That night, I woke to use the restroom. I made my way across the wooden floor, admiring the moonlight which seeped in through the paper walls.

"Darren?" I heard a voice in front of me.

"You-chan?" I asked, surprised. You had appeared in front of me, dressed in her pyjamas.

"What are you doing awake at this time?"

"Well, I couldn't sleep, so I decided to take a walk. It's pretty nice outside."

"Are you serious? You're gonna freeze to death!"

"No, I'm good!" She hugged me. "Hey, I don't want you to worry about me. Darren," You looked at me earnestly, her eyes reflecting the glow of the moon. "Darren, I know you love Riko. I want you to tell her that, okay? I'll be really sad if you left this place without telling her."

"B-but!" My mind told me that I couldn't do that, that I was scared, but I knew that I had to do it. Everything, everyone was telling me to do it. But I was so scared! Why am I scared? Riko's acts really into me. But… what if it doesn't work out? What if it does work out, but we have to be separated anyway? Is it worth it to tell her my feelings at this point?

"I know what you're thinking," You said, placing a hand on my arm. "That you're afraid to tell her, because you don't know what will happen. Will she reciprocate your love? Is it worth it, because you're going to be on the other side of the world soon? But I'll tell you what. That's why I was afraid to talk to you. About how I felt. Look where that got me! So I want you to tell her. You have to, Darren. Please." My heart was about to burst, and I suddenly embraced her.

"Okay, You. You got it."

* * *

The next morning, we arose nice and early, and took a brisk walk through the crisp, clear air. The sky had a feeling of finality to it. We got dressed in silence, each of us absorbed in our own thoughts. There was nothing left to say. This was it.

The Dome was crowded, and hundreds of thousands of fans we waiting in line. There was a feverish excitement in the atmosphere, as the hallowed day had arrived.

We found our prep room backstage, and began to do our final preparations.

"Is everyone ready?" I asked, donning my suit. Yumedake had decided to dress classy and formally, so we found ourselves wearing dress outfits and thin blue ties.

"Wow, Darren. You look so hot," Mari exclaimed.

"Yeah. That is pretty hot," Emerald interjected. "But not as hot as Howard! Ohhhhh!"

Howard grinned, adjusting his tie.

"Don't be afraid, guys," he drawled. "We got this."

As the time approached, my heart began to beat faster and faster. Performers went before us, and soon the time had come. I didn't even have time to prepare my heart. It was time.

We rushed out onto the stage, in view of the massive, boundless crowd. It was dizzying, dreamlike. The girls of Aqours ran out in front, dressed in their colorful, pretty dresses. We took our positions at the instruments. I ran my fingers over the grand piano, taking a deep breath.

The moment had already arrived. It had finally arrived.

"E-everyone! We are Aqours!" Chika announced, and the crowd went wild. I spotted the small section of the audience where our classmates sat, whooping and waving their glow sticks.

"Yeahh! Go Uranohoshi!" They screamed.

I felt a rush of pride through my veins, and nervousness and joy at the same moment. There was no more time to wait.

" _Now is now, and it's different from yesterday_

 _It's not halfway to tomorrow, now is now_

 _As these moments pile up, they disappear_

 _I carve them into my heart water blue"_

I came in with a riff on the piano, Emerald smashing the drums passionately, Yukio and Howard strumming with determination. Kent fingered the bass, and the others sang, voices harmonizing into one.

" _I swam here through the world that opened up before me_

 _After I decided that I didn't want regrets_

' _I won't give up!'_

 _Just saying that won't make anything come true_

' _Move!'_

 _I learned that things will change if I take action"_

As we played, I felt the song, the lyrics, pierce into my heart. As if everything they sang was sung for me, for the feelings that I felt at that instant.

" _I want to stay here forever, but_

 _I know I'll depart on a journey one day_

 _That's why I want to make this time fun_

 _Because I want to sear the greatest thrills into my heart_

 _My new world…"_

We concluded the song, to a roar of approval. Goosebumps crawled over my skin, and I turned to my bandmates, grinning. They all smiled back, bathing in the exaltation of the crowd. There was no way that we didn't win.

I laughed out loud, releasing all the tension in my heart. The girls up front took a bow, and departed from the stage.

Then, I remembered.

"Darren…" Riko stood before me, beads of sweat upon her face. She held out a hand to me.

"It's time."

I gulped. I found Riko and myself the only members on the stage, as the piano was moved center stage. A bright light shone upon it. A murmur ran throughout the crowd.

I took a seat, and Riko was beside me.

I could feel the eyes of everyone on us.

My hands shook.

Why did I come up with this idea again?

Riko sensed my nervousness, and clasped my hands in hers. She smiled lovingly.

"Don't be afraid."

Suddenly, a calm settled within me, as her pure, beautiful aura enraptured me.

* * *

And then, we played.

" _Oh, when it first started, we were so young, so naive… yet so excited; what would the future bring?"_

I joined in, picking up the next line.

" _Look at us now, how much we've changed...we've all grown so much…"_

Our fingers crossed, moving in harmony.

" _All the memories have been made, and yet…"_

I moved expressively, leaning close to my love.

" _I can't let you go…"_

" _We've already come so far, and yet…"_

Riko leaned into me.

" _I can't let you go…"_

" _Our time is slowly, quickly, running out, and yet…"_

" _I can't let you go…"_

Our solemn, yet hopeful voices reached throughout the crowd.

" _There's still so many things to do, so many things to say…"_

" _But we both know, we've got to go away…"_

" _I wish, with all my heart, that we'd have one more day…"_

A tear had rolled down my cheek.

" _But we both know, there's nothing we can do…"_

" _I just want to know, before I leave…"_

Riko glanced at me, eyes gleaming with bright tears.

" _That you understand…"_

" _That you understand…"_

I smiled peacefully, leaning my head on her shoulder.

" _I understand…"_

" _I understand…"_

" _How I feel right now…"_

" _How I feel right now…"_

We joined in unison.

" _How we feel right now… I understand…."_

Our last note held, softly fading away.

* * *

And then, over the din of the wild crowd, which had reached an immeasurable pitch, my heart lurched more than it ever had. More nervous than ever, even after the performance had ended. All the feelings I had held, through this whole time, had piled up, and were overflowing. I couldn't fight it anymore, no matter how hard I tried. A moment that I never felt I would experience, one that took all the courage I could muster, and the slightest doubt possible. In a rush of passionate feelings, I turned to Riko, after we had given our final bows. I took her two hands in my very own, and her surprised eyes found mine. Everything around us faded, and our hearts were the only ones left on this Earth. I reached forward, and kissed Riko.

Our lips found each other, warm and sweet.

* * *

"Riko!" I declared. "I love you!"


	29. 29: Uchiura no Kiseki

29: Uchiura no Kiseki

"Darren… I love you too!" Riko replied, taking me in her arms. We kissed again, and I was fully aware that we were being broadcasted on the screen. The crowd was mad with awws and whoos, and the rest of my team had appeared, shocked at the scene before them.

"Riko, let's go," I said, my world still a blur. I felt an immeasurable warmness upon my cheeks, and a tingling in my heart and on my lips. I reached out my hand, and Riko took it gently, passionately. We walked off the stage, hearts beating in excitement, nervousness, and love. The moment we were in the hall backstage, I turned and pressed her to the wall, our lips finding each other once more. Our hands intertwined, and I felt her tongue on mine.

"Mm… Darren…" Riko murmured, giving everything to me. After all this time, I had finally done it.

"Riko," I said, releasing her, "I love you so much. I never want to leave you, ever. I want to stay by your side for the rest of my life! Whatever it takes!"

"I know, Darren! I do too! I don't know when it was, but I knew that I loved you, that I love you, and… and… I don't think I can live without you!" Riko said, eyebrows creased in concern and admiration.

"I love you, Riko! I love you! I love you! I love Riko!" I shouted, hugging her, crying. We were embracing, with nothing in the world that could separate us. Her sakura scent enraptured me, in a daze of perfection and elation. I couldn't help this smile, which found tears with it.

"Oh, I love you, Darren! I love you so much… so so much…" Riko was crying as well, her slight breath coming in pretty sobs. "I love Darren."

* * *

"I'm glad you told her," You said, as we waited in our prep room for the awards ceremony.

I was sitting in an armchair, Riko in my lap. I stroked her long, silky hair, taking her in as much as I could with my eyes, with my hands. There was nothing in this world that could match her beauty, this beauty that I could never, ever leave.

"I'm glad you gave me the courage," I replied, smiling wholeheartedly at You.

"You-chan, I'm sorry," Riko said. "I'm really, really sorry."

"Don't worry about it," she replied. "I'm all for you!"

"Well, you finally made it official," Howard remarked. "I guess you two are cuter together, than I'll ever be with Riko."

"Oh my gosh, this is so crazy," Emerald said, laughing. "You guys are too cute! Did you hear the crowd!? They were all screaming 'WHOOOOO' and stuff! And then, the whole crowd could see you guys kissing…"

"Yeah man! This is insane!" Kent said.

"And that duet… it was too lovely, it brought me to tears… it just reminded me of you two," Chika said, patting us on the backs.

"Yeah. I'm sure that duet got us the win," Yukio agreed.

"There's no doubt about it," Dia said.

"That's right. We won," Mari stated resolutely. "We won."

* * *

"WE WON!" We screamed, as a staff member quickly rushed in to tell us to make it on stage.

"FIRST PLACE GOES TO AQOURS!" The announcer cried, and we jumped onto stage, grinning with overwhelming elation and pride. We lined up, bowing, to a fearsome crowd.

"Yeah!" They screamed. "I loved the duet! You two are the cutest, ever!"

"I know! They stole the show! And that kiss!"

"We're gonna make DarRiko merchandise, guys!"

"They loved it," Ruby remarked, nudging me.

"Yeah, they did," I replied, blushing. I clutched Riko's hand tightly, as Chika went to receive the trophy.

"We actually did it," Riko said, unbelievingly.

Chika held the trophy in the air, and the crowd cheered again.

"Do you have any words to say?" the announcer asked.

"Eh… well…" Chika looked to us for support, but managed a few words. "I'm really glad. We… tried so hard… and… we wouldn't have been able to win, I believe, if it wasn't for… Darren… and Riko. They were the ones who came up with the idea to do a duet, which, to me, change everything."

"YASSSSSSSS! It did!" I heard an enthusiastic fan cry out.

Chika passed the mic to Mari.

"Everyone, I'm so glad for your support. All of you... " Mari cried. "Especially… Darren… Riko…we've already lost so much, our school… I'm so glad, we got to win before it was all over. I'm so glad we didn't give up. Here, Darren!" Mari gave the mic to me.

"Hey everyone. Yeah, I know, my Japanese isn't very good, but I'd just like to say some things. I'm so grateful to have had this experience, to be part of the best idol group in the world. All those days we spent practicing, crying, laughing together, were the best days of my life. There's nothing that I would ever trade for the experiences I've had with all of you. And now, we've finally made it here, made it to this point, and I'm just so happy… and Riko, I know, everyone can hear this, but, I love you. I really do."

Riko giggled happily, taking the mic from me.

"And I love you too," she said, straight into the mic. "It's all because of Darren that we could have come this far."

A murmur of agreement came from my teammates.

"Darren would always give me the inspiration, whenever I was down, whenever I felt like giving up. And yeah, there were sometimes when we didn't get along. There was one time when I felt that Darren was a creep, a bottom-of-the-barrel creep. But I know now, that he's my favorite boy in the world. And his love and dedication is what got us here today."

With that, it was over. We had won, and there was nothing left.

* * *

We walked outside upon the Tokyo streets, the early spring air filling our lungs with the scents of flowers and life. A feeling of accomplishment ran throughout all of us, connected us. It was like a dream, but it wasn't.

"How did we do that?" Kanan said in amazement. "We actually did that…"

"Yeah… and now look how rich I am!" Yoshiko held up her check, for a large sum of money.

"I'm so glad we did this," Hanamaru said roundly, swaying with elation. "Time to have a party, with a lot of food!"

Mari stopped in her tracks.

"But… guys… our school… is still… going to be no more…"

We all stopped, thinking upon her words.

"Mari-" Kanan placed a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off.

"What's the point of winning, if there's nothing left to win for?" Mari questioned. "There's nothing left! I know, we won, but I still… feel… so empty…"

"Hey, we won! We did everything we could, we tried as hard as we could, and we made our dream come true. We did it," Dia said. "There's no reason to be sad. There's some things in this world that you can't change. But just take joy in the things you have."

"I… know…" Mari was on the verge of tears, when suddenly, her phone rang. "Hello?" she asked tentatively. "Papa?"

As she talked, her face suddenly lit up. "What? Why?" Her eyes were wide, and she looked at us, who looked back expectantly.

"We just won Love Live, Papa, that's why."

A few more moments of strained silence.

"Wait, what? R-really? Papa! Papa! Th-thank you so much! I- thank you!" Mari screamed in happiness. "GUYS! GUYS! GUESS WHAT JUST HAPPENED!?"

"What?!"

"My dad just said our school was receiving so many emails and calls, asking for admission! It's blowing up! There's more than a thousand applicants!" Mari leaped in the air. "YAHOOOO!"

"WHAT?!" We all shouted in unison. "HOW!?"

"Does this mean… our school… is saved?" Ruby asked.

"YES! WE SAVED OUR SCHOOL! WE REALLY DID!"

"But, I thought the decision was already final!" I said.

"But there were just so many people asking for application, there was just no choice! My dad was shocked. I know, right? It's crazy, but it's really happening! We really saved our school…" The tears in Mari's eyes fell, but of happiness.

* * *

"Whooooo! AQOURS!" They screamed, as we waited for the train back home. A crowd had gathered to see us off, as we waved and signed autographs. A large, large number of girls had swarmed me, asking for pictures with me. Riko and I were probably the most loved couple in Japan, at least for that day. We were showered with gifts and praises, and it was sad to say goodbye when our train finally arrived. I sat with Riko, gazing at her soft features, and at the setting, purple sky outside. The orange fringes of the sun we leaving the Earth, and their hues created an orange nostalgia in my heart. I had arrived on this train, uncertain and afraid, and now I am returning the happiest man alive.

"Riko, if I could only keep this image in my mind forever," I said, admiring her. "You, looking this way, with the fading light in the background…"

"Then do so," she said, smiling. "Take a picture!"

I did.

"Darren, you're so cute." Riko leaned in, and pecked me on the cheek.

I blushed, still nervous.

"Riko, it's a miracle that I met you," I said. "That you, out of everyone in the world, was the one that I met. There's no coincidence, that I met you here. You were that girl I met when I came here, so mysterious, so foreign… Who knew where we would be a few months later?"

"I know, it's crazy, right?" Riko giggled, twirling her locks between her thin fingers. "To think that you were just some random guy, that we were just giving a ride to on a random night. It was nothing special at the time. Who knew that you would be mine?"

"But I am."

"As am I."

We looked at each other with amorous eyes, love not able to be expressed in words.

* * *

Arriving home, I immediately followed Riko, into her house, into her room, our hands tight together. My heart beat fast, and Riko swiped the door closed behind her the moment we entered. The moonlight shone upon her face, which was tinged pink, and her breath was quick.  
"Oh, Darren, please, don't let me ever forget you," Riko gasped, holding both my hands, looking at my eyes with desire.

"Riko…"

"Darren…"

I slowly brought my hands up to her shoulders.

"I told you I would let you see me wearing that bikini sometime, right?" Riko whispered, hands on my hips.

"Y-yeah…"

"Well… what if… I let you see something better?" Riko smiled slyly, yet nervously, as if she was afraid of my reaction.

"B-better? W-what is better?" I gulped.

"N-nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Wearing- nothing." Riko looked away, shamefully blushing.

"Riko... "

"So… if you want to… please… help me… with this…" Riko slowly began to unbutton her shirt. Her breath was harsh and labored, and I could see her fingers trembling as she undid her buttons. Of their own accord, my hands reached down, onto her skirt, and unzipped it. It fell to the floor, and the length of her fair legs was exposed, her thin panties in plain sight. Her shirt soon joined her skirt, and Riko stood before me, clad only in her underwear. Her perfect form forced my eyes to look, and I could not stop. Before we knew it, we were kissing, fully, letting out all the love we had for each other. Our lips could not be controlled, and there was no stopping us. I had worked so hard, and finally, my reward was due. The scent of the room, of Riko, the blue moonlight… her soft skin… the soft cloth… I was enraptured, in another world. We fell to the bed, and began to love each other. Riko's hands ringed the waistband of her panties, and began to slide them off. I decided, in that moment, to stop her.

I placed my hands on hers, before they could come off.

"No, this is good enough," I whispered.

"But… don't you… want to?" Riko asked, embarrassed.

"All I need to see is your face, and the love in your eyes," I replied, smiling warmly.

Riko looked at me, then smiled. She caressed my cheek.  
"Oh, Darren, you're such a good boy," she giggled, kissing me. "I like people like you."

"I know you're a good girl too," I replied, patting her on the head. "You're not like the rest."

"Thanks, Darren… I guess… I am…" we stopped kissing, and sat up. The moment had passed, and I felt a different feeling, a deep, satisfying warmth in my heart. We sat together, looking out the window, watching the moon smile down upon us. The sea gleamed with tranquillity. Stars twinkled in the sky, and I reached out, placing my hand upon the glass.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Riko asked.

"What is?"

"Everything."

"Yeah. It is."

We got ready for bed.

"Is Chika okay with this?"

"Yeah, I think so." We snuggled in together, all clothes back on our bodies.

I felt her hair splayed upon my face, as we held each other close.

"Ah, Darren... "

"Riko."

"Darren, what do you think will happen now? We've won Love Live, we've saved the school. We love each other. Could it get any better?" Riko smiled in the dark, looking up at the ceiling.

I thought for a moment. I think we both did, and came to the same conclusion. But we didn't want to say it.

"There is one thing left. The thing is, I have to be leaving soon."

My words hung in the air, heavy.

"Leaving…" Riko said those words, tasting the bitterness in her mouth. "Saying goodbye…"

"Don't worry, Riko," I said quickly, comforting her. "I'll be back soon. Don't worry about it. Don't think about it. You're going to blink, and I'll be there."

"You better," Riko sighed, and turned away.

 _I will,_ I thought, and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Monday had come, and the school was in celebration and festivity. Happiness graced its old corridors, and it seemed alive, brought back from death. A revival had come upon the school, and all trace of darkness had gone.

"I guess we won't be holding that school closing festival," Mari remarked, laughing.

"Yup! Everything is perfect, zura!" Maru cried happily, munching on a bread.

"This is the life," Kent said, satisfied with his lot in life.

"We've conquered everything and made it to the end!" Yohane cheered.

"Man, that's super cringey and cheesy," Howard said.

"Guys, but let's be honest here, like honestly, this is amazing," Emerald laughed. "Like, it's actually lit."

"Yeah! It's totally lit!" Dia screamed, leaping up into the air.

We all looked curiously at her, and she quickly stopped, embarrassed. Kanan patted me on the shoulder.

"So, you're all set, Darren-kun? Missing home yet?"

Suddenly, her words struck into my heart. Home? Missing home?

"B-but… this is my home," I replied.

"Awww," The others cooed. "That's so sweet…"

"But really, this is my home… I've made so many memories with you guys, hear, through all the weeks and months… It's been such a ride…" I felt myself on the verge of tears. "You guys were always there to support me, to help me, when I felt alone, when I couldn't go on…"

"Darren! Please! Save it for later, love, please!" Riko said, hugging me. "Don't speak of it yet."

"Yeah. Don't worry, Dary!" Emerald said. "There's still a week left."

"A week?" I felt a longing in my heart, of leaving this home that I love so much. "I'm already homesick. For Uchiura."

"Hahaha! Darren-senpai, you're too sentimental… it's all because of Riko, right?" Ruby piped.

"You know it," I said, half crying and half laughing. "Of course it was Riko. But not only her. All of you guys. It was fated that I would come here, that I would make music with all of you, that I would win Love Live and save our school, save our home. Truly it was a miracle. It was the miracle of Uchiura."

The others all fell silent, contemplating on my words.

"Yeah, that's true. It is."

"But… if it is, then… why do… I have to leave? Just like this…" I said, sadly.

"When are you guys leaving?" Yukio asked.

"Well, graduation is on Friday," Dia said. "But I think the transfer students are leaving on Sunday, right?"

"No," Kent answered. "I'm leaving on Saturday."

"Yeah, I'm leaving on Saturday as well," Howard said.

"We're leaving on Sunday," Emerald said, putting an arm around me. "Cuz we're going on the same flight, back to LA."

"Yeah, Sunday," I confirmed. "In the morning. Ahh, why does it have to come so fast? The end."

"Why… does it?" Riko asked, and her tears began to fall.

 _All good things must come to an end._


	30. 30: Pianoforte Epilogue

**30: Pianoforte Epilogue**

 ***FINALE* Hello, everyone! It's been quite a journey... this is the final chapter... I can't thank you guys enough. Writing this story has been an amazing experience for me, and it will always have a special place in my heart. Everyone who followed or reviewed my story, I thank you so much. I don't think I would have been able to make it here without your support. Yes, I know, this story isn't really special, or popular, but I'm glad that you took the time to read it. I appreciate every one of you. Your words make me happy. Now, read this final chapter, and give it a review!**

 **What was your favorite part of the story? What was the happiest part? The saddest? The most bittersweet? The funniest? The spiciest? I want to know! What are some alternate endings, or things that could have gone differently? Please, please, please leave a review with your feedback. I really want to know what parts stood out to you guys! Once more, THANK YOU FOR READING! Now, please, enjoy the end.**

* * *

Monday flew by, in a flurry of overlapping emotions, of triumph, of joy, of heartache, of sadness, of everything in between.

"It's alright," I said. "Let's make the most of our time." But we all knew that these words have been said too many times. There was just too much on our hearts to form in words. We tried to be as happy as we could, as we enjoyed the company of each other, of our fellow classmates, who congratulated us every time we were seen. The sun-bleached hallways we passed, treading lightly, respecting the treasure that had been so close to slipping away. But time continued, and we had class as usual, and the afternoon came, and the evening, when I ate dinner with Chika and my family. Not wanting to go to bed, I stayed up, recounting every step of my journey. And soon I fell to bed, as hard as I fought, as I fought to stop time. We have overcome every battle, but there is one which we cannot win. The battle against time.

* * *

Tuesday came, and I smiled when I woke. Is it only when we have no time that we appreciate it? Only then do we try and enjoy every minute, every second. Right? This I asked my girlfriend, Riko.

"That's the way I feel as well," she replied, taking my hand as we walked to school, along with Chika and You, just like any other morning.

"Why can't we have a whole week off school before you guys leave?" You complained. "I want to spend a week, just partying, and having fun before you leave. But we still have school."

"Well, You-chan, I'm just grateful that our school is still here… even though we have final exams."

"Oh, yeah…OH YEAH!" I shouted, remembering. "We have finals! Guys! What are we gonna do!?" I looked around frantically.

"Wait, you just remembered?" Riko asked, amused.

"Um, yeah! Like, we were so focused on winning Love Live, we didn't even study!" I said.

"Uh, actually… I'm all set… I was studying a lot…" Riko admitted, embarrassed.

"Same! I'm definitely going to get an A in English!" You piped.

"Yeah, even I studied!" Chika cheered. "Let's all get A's!"

"Uh….." I sounded. "So… it was just me that forgot?"

"Ehe… I… guess so…" You chuckled awkwardly.

"Well, I'm screwed! I have to study!" I screamed. "No, no, no!"

And thus, more of my precious time was taken away from me.

"Augh! Should I just like give up, like 'screw this', and wing the test? That way I'll have more time to spend with you," I said to Riko, during lunch.

"No, you can't, Darren!" she said sweetly and concernedly. "I want you to do well. Here, I'll study with you! For as long as you like." Riko winked, and smiled her perfect smile, which took my breath away.

"Oh, thank you, Riko… although I'll be SUPER distracted with you next to me…"

"Hey, hey… don't worry about it! I can always ask Howard to take my place!" Riko giggled, speaking so Howard could hear, on the other side of the table.

"What?" he said loudly.

"Eyy! Staaaap! Just kidding! I'll love it with you," I said, patting her arm. "It's nothing dude," I called to Howard.

"Okay. You better work hard, though. I'm counting on you! I mean, I want my man to be hard-working and smart." Riko gazed dreamily into my eyes, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers.

"You've got some pretty high standards," I replied, eyeing her.

"You got high standards too," Riko shot back, "for picking someone like me." She cocked her eyebrow at me. "Ahhhh sorry! That sounded so stuck-up!" Riko pouted, putting her hands in her face. "I'm sorry! I just thought that sounded really smooth and all, I just went ahead and said it…"

"Hahah! Aww, Riko, you're such a cutie…" I patted her on the head, and she grinned sunnily.

After lunch, we went back to class.

"Hey Darren!"

"Hey Darren!"

"How was your lunch!?"

My classmates greeted me as I made my way to the back of the class, taking my seat.

"Man, you're popular," Yukio said. "Look, you're all over the internet!" She showed me her phone, which showed a bunch of DarRiko fanart.

"Woah, woah, wait a minute!" Kent said, snatching the phone. "ARE YOU SERIOUS!? THERE'S FANART OF YOU AND RIKO KISSING?!"

"What!?" I said, looking at the pictures.

"It's the scene from the concert! You're so famous!" Yukio said giddily. "Wow!"

"Yeah, you're so lucky! If only I stayed with Yuky longer, than it could have been me!" Kent snapped.

"Wait, when did you start calling me Yuky?"

"I dunno. Right now… and it's with a Y, cuz I is mainstream."

"Bruh…" I said.

"Hey, hey, Riko look!" You shouted, as she came over and saw the pictures. Chika, Howard, and Riko came over and stared.

"Dang…" Howard said, placing a hand on my shoulder and going back to his seat.

"Riko-chan, you like it?" Chika asked Riko. Riko took Yukio's phone in her hands, swiping through the pictures. Her face became a beet red.

"Aaaaaahhh… ah…. " Riko was super embarrassed, and she kept her eyes fixed to a particular picture of Riko and me making out on the beach of Uchiura.

"And there's a video of you two playing the song and kissing at the concert." Yukio switched to the video, which showed the exact moments we sang and kissed, confessing our love to each other. "It has like ten million views!"

"Wh-wh-whaaat?" Riko said, watching.

"This is so awkward," I said, hearing my cringey voice say "I love you Riko".

"I know it is," Riko said, blushing. "Ahhhhh Darren!" Riko buried her face in my arm, and I held her close.

"Aww, Riko, you're such a little kid."

"Iyyya, but it is embarrassing! Aren't you embarrassed?"

"Well of course I am," I replied. "But I'm with you, so I love it."

The others were taken aback.

"Wow, that's some commitment," Kent remarked, whistling.

"Duh!" I retorted. "I don't care what I'm doing, as long as I'm with my Riko-chan! I want the whole world to see that we love each other."

"Darren, that's okay," Riko said. "The world doesn't need to know. Only we need to know. That's enough, isn't it?"

I thought for a moment, staring out the window. "Yeah, of course. Of course." I gave Riko a kiss.

"Woah… I feel like something deep just happened," You said, tiptoeing back to her seat.

"Everyone! Sit down!" The teacher yelled. "Y'all better be studying for your finals on Thursday! By now, you should know every line and every page of the textbook!"

"Oh, poo…." I groaned. "I really need to start studying…."

After class, I skipped over to Riko.

"Riko-sensei! I'm ready!" I blurted, my heart skipping a beat as usual when I spoke to her.

"Ready for what?" Chika questioned, as everyone stared.

"Well, studying! That's all, studying!"

"Darren, you're acting so cringey…" Riko facepalmed herself. Then, she grinned a goofy smile and added, "Although I am too! Yeah! Let's go STUDY!" Riko punched a fist into the air, and took my hand, and we began the walk home.

The sky had become gray, and the salt of the ocean filled our lungs.

"It looks like it's going to rain," Riko remarked, gazing into the afternoon.

"Yeah. But it's okay… I mean…" I suddenly turned to Riko, and she met my eyes.

"Hm?"

"Riko, I know this is cheesy, but, as long as I'm with you, nothing else matters. No amount of rain can take away the joy you place in my heart…" I felt my passions overcome me, and I reached over and hugged Riko.

"Oh, Darren…" Riko kissed me on the cheek, and the rain began to fall.

"Let's hurry back," I said, releasing her and pulling her along. "I don't want you to get wet."

"No, it's alright! Like you said, as long as you're with me. Let's take our time. After all, there isn't much left…" Riko said softly, and smiled, as the spring wind blew through her hair. And thus, we walked, hand in hand, down the seaside road, the rain falling upon us in pristine sheets. It was a mysterious, foreign feeling, in such a state of peace among the rain. We were walking slowly, smiling, glancing to each other's faces, to the sky… It was as if, after all these months with Riko, I was meeting her for the first time, once again. A new, different feeling… before I could put my finger on it, we had reached Riko's house, and her room. Our soaked uniforms spilled onto the floor, and we clambered into the bath together. In an air of love and mutual respect, we bathed, and dressed, boundaries and tensions between us gone.

"Oh, I love you," Riko restated, as we sat next to each other on her bed.

"I love you too, Riko."

Riko laughed. "We have to get to work," she rose, and pulled out the chair of her desk. "Sit."

I went over, and took out my work.

"Here we go!"

We sat there for hours, studying and helping each other. Outside, the rain beat down, blurring the windows, isolating us from the rest of the world. I felt connected to Riko, the only two souls in existence.

Time passed, and I soon found myself dozing off.

* * *

"Psst. Darren. Psst." Riko's honey voice sounded in my ear, and I woke up. She was dressed in pink pyjamas, and had her hair in twintails. A quaint smile was upon her face, and she bopped me on the nose.

"Ah, Riko! Hey!" I realized that I had fallen asleep at her desk, and the sky was morning bright outside. "Riko… why didn't you tell me to go home?"

"Ahh…" Riko looked around, and smiled slyly, tapping a finger to her cheek. "Well, this is your home… heh, I tried to let you sleep as long as possible, so you wouldn't be too tired. I was thinking how cute you looked when you were asleep… although you did drool all over my desk…"

"What?! Ahhh, sorry!" I quickly hopped out of the chair. "Is it time for school already?"

"Yeah! I tried to give you as much time, but I had to wake you. We gotta go! We're gonna be late!"

"Ehhh? You should've woken me earlier! Let's go!" We got dressed, and ran downstairs, where a surprised Mrs. Sakurauchi heard two people say "itte kimasu!", grabbing two slices of toast as they left. We burst out laughing, as we skipped down the road, into the bright sunshine.

Through a mouthful of toast, I grinned at my friend, running and hopping over the puddles of water from the night before. A fresh breeze hit our faces, smelling of the fallen rain, concrete, and spring blossoms. We approached the school, cresting the rise, into the hallways, into our classroom.

"That was very close," the teacher said sternly, as we took our seats giggling. I felt giddy and lighthearted, like a little kid. Wow, it sure is amazing how many emotions I can go through in a few days.

Everyone was hard at work, preparing for the finals tomorrow. But I could see, among the third- years, that they were thinking about graduation. They made small talk, and seemed melancholy. At lunch, I spotted Mari, Dia, and Kanan, talking among their third-year friends.

"Darren-kun!" The third-years, not just the three, called to me when I approached.

"Hey everyone!" I said, smiling.

"Wow, Darren, you really are my hero," a girl said. "I'm graduating anyway, but I'm very glad that our legacy will continue. I'm so grateful to you!" She bowed to me, and I returned it.

"Oh, it's not me, it's all of us. Including you," I said. "We would have never won without your support."

"Awwwww! Darrrrenn!" The girls squealed, swarming me.

"Thanks, thanks…" I said, embarrassed.

"Darren, you all right? You're going to leave soon," Kanan said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"What? Didn't you guys say not to talk about that?" I said, confused.

"Oh, yeah," Dia replied. "It's just that, we were just discussing it…"

"I see… when are you leaving for college?"

"It's still quite a few weeks. Don't worry…" Dia smiled humbly, her cheeks tinged pink, her straight bangs swaying slightly in the wind.

"Well, I'll miss you," I said, and we hugged.

"I'll miss you too."

"Mari?"

Mari's throat emitted a sob, and she mumbled, "I'm leaving for Europe next week." She hugged me tightly. "Come 'ere, Darren…" She grabbed my cheeks, wiggling them around. "You be a good boy now, okay?"

"Mm!" I replied, almost brought to tears. Her soft hair reflected the shining light. I turned to Kanan, who chuckled.

"Guys, it's not even time for this… This means we'll have to go through this again when he actually leaves…" Kanan shrugged. "But okay!" Kanan grabbed me, snuggling my head. "Make sure to come back for Riko!" She said.

"Well…" I mumbled… "I wish I could…"

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure you will."

"Mm."

"And besides, guess what?" Kanan asked. "I'm going overseas to get my diving instructors license, right? And I'm going to California! So I can visit you sometime!"

"Really?!" I piped, excited. "That's awesome!"

"I know, right!?" Kanan laughed. "But you probably would just want Riko."

"Hey, you're my friend still, okay?" I said.

"Ah, but for the rest of us, it's goodbye for a long time," Dia sighed.

"Ahh, there you guys are!" We heard Ruby's squeaky voice, as the first years came to us.

"Ku ku ku… what are you guys conspiring about?" Yohane drawled.

"I'll miss you guys, zura!" Hanamaru said, hugging each of us.

"Aww, I'll miss you too, Maru-chan," I cooed.

"I'll be so lonely," Ruby said sadly. "Not only are you guys leaving, sis won't be home anymore. It'll be so lonely…" Ruby's twintails dropped, and she fell into Dia's arms.

"Sis…" Dia said, "Don't you worry. We all have to grow up someday. We gotta grow wings and fly away…" Dia looked at the sky.

"Mm," Ruby replied. "And Darren. I won't ever forget you, and how you gave me the strength to be brave. You better not forget me." She looked seriously at me.

"I won't, Ruby-chan. How could I?"

"Good." Ruby reached on her tiptoes and pecked me on the cheek. "Sorry."

"Woahhhhh! Ruby!" Yohane whooped, and patted her on the back. "Don't forget about me."

"Of course I won't, YOSHIKO," I jeered.

"Hey! Ahhhh, fine, I'll let you off for now. Since I'll only be seeing you for a little while more."

"Wow, Yoshiko," Hanamaru remaked. "Yoshiko, Yoshiko, Yoshiko!"

"Hey! I didn't allow you! I said Darren could!"

We all burst out laughing.

* * *

We hung out together after class, at club.

"Well, this is the official second to last meeting of the School Idol Club," Chika announced.

"Yeah," Emerald agreed. "What should we do now? We've still got some time left. We should have fun!"

"I wish, except we got finals tomorrow," Howard said.

"Don't you two have fun every night?" I blurted.

"Breh…" Kent remarked.

"Well, no…" Emerald replied. "I don't know how we're going to maintain such a long-distance relationship…"

"Same," Howard said. "But we'll make the most of what we got."

"We all have to," You said. "How about this: we go study for finals tonight, and once we're finished tomorrow, we'll party! And then Friday will be graduation, and more partying! Then Saturday, we're… saying goodbye to… Kent and Howard… and Sunday… Emerald and Darren…"

"Okay, sounds like a plan," Riko confirmed. "But don't think too much about it. Let's just do what we do, and stay positive. How 'bout this- no crying! No crying when we say goodbye, okay? We gotta be strong, be happy!" Riko gestured with her hands, putting a finger to each cheek. "You guys down?"

The room was silent.

"Yeah, no crying," Chika stated.

"No crying," the rest of us chanted.

* * *

Just like yesterday, I went to Riko's house and began my studies.

"You better hurry up now, Darren-kun," Riko said kindly, as she set a cup of tea on her desk.

"Thank you! But I thought I was going to study until I fall asleep…" I replied, taking a sip of the tea.

"Well, I think you should get more rest. I don't want you to crash in the middle of exams. And besides… nevermind." Riko shook her head, taking a sip of the same cup of tea.

"What? Are you hiding something?"

"Huh? No! Just, um, here, let's study. So what page were we on?"

We continued to study, both of us completely aware of the time ticking away.

More hours passed.

"Riko-chan, I think I'm almost good," I said confidently.

"Really? That's great! I think you are too. Hold on a sec, I must use the restroom." Riko got up and left. I laid back in my chair, sighing. Ahh, my brain is so filled with equations and facts… I yawned, and closed my books. Well, another day gone…

Just as I closed my bag, I heard a large cluster of footsteps outside. The door opened, and Riko came in, along with all of my friends!

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY DARREN!" They shouted, and Riko hoisted up a green cake, filled with burning candles.

"Wh-wh-whaaaaat?!" I replied, shocked. "OH YEAH, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!"

"You forgot?" Riko laughed, setting the cake down on the desk.

"How did you guys know?"

My friends were all laughing, and they entered the room.

"Well, of course I'm gonna have your personal information," Chika said. "After all, I'm legally in charge of you."

"But how did you forget your own birthday?" You asked.

"I don't know… I guess, I haven't really been thinking about it. Normally, I don't do much for my birthday anyway. And I've just been so busy, with Love Live, school, thinking about my sweet Riko…"

"Awwwwwwww!" They replied.

"Okay, okay, let's sing!" Mari announced. They sang for me, and applauded.

"Make a wish," Yukio said.

"Okay!" I clasped my hands and closed my eyes. And I wished that I would be with Riko forever.

I blew out the candles.

"Happy birthday! Seventeen years old, right?" Kanan congratulated.

"Yup! Aw, I still feel like I'm ten or something…" I complained. "I don't wanna grow up."

"Like I said, we all have to someday," Dia answered. "Anyway, without further adieu, Riko-chan?"

"Oh, yeah! Darren-kun, this is for you." Riko took out a gift. "Open it!"

I opened the wrapping, and found a picture frame, in which was a picture of me and Riko, wearing our sushi shirts.

"Aww, Riko! So this is why you bought that picture frame! It's so cute! Thank you!"

"Sorry, it's not much," Riko replied. "But it's just a picture of the two of us. So you can always remember."

"Riko…" I felt goosebumps crawl over me, and I gave her a kiss. "Thank you."

"Mm. Just don't forget me."

"I won't."

"Ah, Darren!" Chika gave me her gift, which was a mikan- stationery set. "It's actually super high-quality," she said.

You gifted me a "Guide to Ships" book, Mari a premium swimsuit magazine subscription, Ruby an updated Love Live handbook (including new Yumedake members, within Aqours!). Hanamaru gave me some old traditional novel, which turned out to be written by herself. Yoshiko- well, she gave me some of her streamer merchandise… a "little demon" sweatshirt. Dia gave me a scarf that she knit herself, and Kanan a set of scuba gear. Yukio's gift was a huge collection of tear-jerker high school romance animes, and Kent gave me… well, magazines. Howard gifted me a pack of British candy.

"Wow, guys…" I remarked, taken aback by the characteristic gifts of my friends.

"Ah, hold on! We have one more, from all of us!" Riko said. She took out a gift labeled "From Aqours, to our dearest member, Darren." I tentatively opened it, and it was another picture, of our entire group, posing on the school roof. We were all smiling in the picture, and I could see myself eyeing Riko nervously, who was next to me. Riko was wide-eyed, apparently not ready for the picture. I giggled.

"Awwwwww! Thank you so much, guys! I remember when we took this pic! Thank you so much!" The sun was high in the sky, and the ocean could be seen behind us. Near the bottom were signatures from all of them, with little messages like "I love you Darren!".

"You have to add your signature to it now, to make it complete," You instructed.

"Oh yeah." I took out a marker and signed it, "Darren. To my favorite people in the world, who changed my life forever."

"That's sweet…" They remarked, and we cut the cake.

"Mm, this is delicious!" I said. "Where'd you get this cake?"

"Oh, that was my personal chef," Mari replied.

"Wow, you guys… prepared all this for me… I don't think I could thank you enough…"

"You're our family, Darren. We'd do anything for you," Riko said.

* * *

Thursday had arrived, and I awoke with a start. I looked to the side, and saw the gifts on my desk. The picture of me and Riko, the picture of Aqours. I clenched my fist. I gotta do this. I can't let them down.

I packed my bag, and went to eat my breakfast, leaving with a confident stride. I met my classmates with politeness and optimism.

"Let's try our best today," I said.

"Let's," the replied.

We arrived at school, and took our seats. The exams were passed out, and we brandished our pencils.

I looked to the front of the room, where Riko turned back, and met my eyes. She smiled, and gave me a thumbs-up. I returned the action, and went to work.

* * *

"Whhhhooooooooooo! We did it!" We cheered, the moment the last exam was turned in. Everyone in class leapt out of the seats, letting loose the hours of tension and pain.

"Well, good job everyone," the teacher said. "I'm really proud of all of you this year. Even you transfer students. You've sure come far! Well, this marks the end of our term. Tomorrow is graduation, so please show respect to your seniors. And those of you in the School Idol Club, I thank you so much, for saving our school."

We all applauded, and soon we were chattering, laughing, people exchanging plans for the break.

"You did all right?" Chika asked, approaching me.

"Yep. It was all thanks to Riko," I said, patting her on the shoulder.

"Well, I actually didn't do that much to help…" Riko replied, embarrassed.

"Hey. Just your presence changes everything."

"Darren…"

"Anyways, guys, what are we gonna do? We're FREEEEE!" You whooped, and we laughed.

"Yeah! Let's go out!" Yukio cheered.

We met the others outside, where the sakura trees were in full blossom.

"Wow, they sure blossomed early this year," Dia said, breathing in the fresh March air.

"Yeah. Just in time for graduation," Mari replied.

"So where do you guys want to go?" Hanamaru asked, rubbing her tummy.

"I know you're thinking about food," Yoshiko shot.

"Well, what's better than food?" I remarked, laughing. "Let's go!"

* * *

We took the bus to Numazu, which was crowded with other classmates celebrating their completion of the exams.

"Hey! It's Aqours!" They shouted, and we were swarmed with admirers on the bus.

"We're finally free!" Someone screamed. "Whoooo!"

"Hey, what are you guys doing for the festival tomorrow?" someone asked.

"Festival?" I replied, confused.

"Oh yeah, we're having a festival after graduation," Dia informed. "Yeah, it's kinda sudden, but we're experienced partiers. I guess it'll help us get over the post-graduation depression real quick, you know? Hahah!"

"Wow, that sounds great! What are we going to do for our booth?" I asked.

"We don't need to do anything," Mari replied. "We've done enough. Now is our classmates' turn. They've got it covered."

"Yeah!" The girl replied. "You've done so much for us. Now we just want you to relax, and enjoy the moments you have left!"

We got off at Numazu, in an air of camaraderie and happiness. The uplifting spring brought life into us, and the burden of finals had disappeared. It was time to celebrate.

"I knew you would pick this place," You remarked, as we walked into the shabu-shabu place that we ate at during my first few days here.

"Of course! Except back then, it was just you, Riko, You, and I," Chika said.

"And, we were very different people," Riko added. "Right?"

"Yeah. Very different," I replied.

"Say, do you think we've changed that much?"

"Well, I'm not sure, but I know we've changed. I know I have, at least. But in the end, we are still who we are."

"Yeah," Kanan agreed. "But most of the time you don't realize you've changed. But you have."

"Can we just eat now? I'm starving," Emerald said.

"How many people?" The waitress asked.

"Um, fourteen," I replied. Then I turned around frantically. "Guys! That was the waitress that caught us drinking underage!" I said.

"Oh, yeah! When we ordered the sake, and left before she could check our identification!" You said.

"And then we ran so fast," Riko added, covering her mouth. "It was actually lit."

"Hahahah~! Yeah, let's do that again!" I whooped.

"You better not," Chika said.

We entered the restaurant, and ordered a ton of delicious meat.

"Why is this still so good…" I said, indulging myself. "If only I could pair it with sake…"

"Hey, you don't wanna get deported before Sunday," Yoshiko joked.

"Um, excuse me, ma'am," Dia asked the waitress, "Could we have some sake?"

The rest of us looked at each other in surprise.

"Sure!" The waitress left and returned with bottles of sake.

"Dia-senpai!" I exclaimed. "You? You're not legal yet!"

"Shhhhhh!" She hushed, and poured out cups for all of us. "Just for today."

Thus, we all got hella drunk.

"To Aqours! May Aqours be forever in our hearts!" I toasted. We drank. Afterwards, we were all giddy and tired and happy.

"Ahhh, life sure is great, isn't it?" Howard said. "It's great to have friends."

"Yep. Life is good." I laid back, surveying the people before me, who meant so much to me. So much.

We paid our check, and just when we were about to leave, the waitress exclaimed, "Waaaaaiitt! Sorry, but, I forgot to check for identification for the alcohol!"

"Uh oh…" We all looked at each other. "Welp. I guess we won't be allowed back here ever again! RUN!" I screamed, and we took off running, laughing, into the night, down the pristine streets, which carried our feet then and carried them now. The wind blew across our faces, through our hair. A heavenly moon smiled upon us, her graces caressing our earthly bodies. It was as if I was in a dream… Was it a dream? A feeling of satisfaction, of complacency overtook me, as we all piled onto the bus, as I sat with Riko, gazing outside at the stars. My friends were all around me, tired, dozing off, chattering in hushed voices. The bus shook slightly on the road, and the soft touch of Riko's skin warmed mine, and my heart. I breathed. I love my life.

* * *

Friday.

The glow of the sun had just crested the horizon, and I was already awake. I emerged into the orange light, which caused a clenching of my heart.

"Darren… you ready?" I heard Chika's voice behind me.

"Chika…" I turned to meet her, her face in the mikan glow.

"It's been really fun having you as my host-brother. Really."

"I wouldn't have anyone else as my host-sister," I replied.

"Are you- going to be okay, when Riko's gone?"

"I- don't know. But- there's nothing I can do, eh?"

"Mm." We stood in silence, communicating more feelings than words could express.

"Thank you," Chika said, and hugged me.

I hugged her. "Come with me to school right now. I know it's early, but I want to do something for Riko."

"Really? Like what?"

"You'll see."

So we went to school, where some students were already present, preparing for graduation and the festival. The petals fell, surrounding us in a wreath of pink beauty, constantly reminding me of Sakurauchi Riko. I began to pick up a few thin branches, their pink flowers still attached. I began to weave them together.

"Aww, Darren… A wreath?"

"Yeah. I said that I would make her one, that day when we were at Mari's hot springs. Howard gave her a plastic one, and I was like 'you know what I'll make her a real one'. So that's what I'm doing right now."

"Wow… that's so sweet…"

"Except I need a little help with this… heheh…" So Chika and I spent a while perfecting a wreath of sakura flowers.

"There! Riko will love it," Chika said. I also took out two pink, thin-braided wrist bracelets.

"What are those for?"

"Riko and I. Kimiko, the little girl, gave me a red one that said 'Akiramenai', on that night when I was in total despair… the last time we went to Tokyo, I went and bought these pink ones. I'm gonna give one to Riko, so that we would always wear it, and never forget each other."

"Wow… that's so thoughtful, Darren. You'd make a great husband."

"Woah, Chika! That's a little too far! Well… actually… I wish that would happen… But it's highly unlikely. I don't know… I'll be so far away…"

"Oh, Darren…"

"I don't want to leave! I don't want to leave!" I shouted. "No! Riko, Riko, Riko!" Tears spilled down my cheeks, and I fell to my knees. "Riko…"

"Darren!" Chika hugged me, her hair pressed into my cheek. "Darren! Please! No crying, remember!? No crying!"

"I'm not!" I replied, crying. "I'm not crying. I'm not crying." I took a deep breath, and rose to my feet. I have to stay strong.

The morning was in full bloom, and students were entering the gates. We went to class, where decorations adorned the room. On the board, written in chalk, were messages from our classmates, thanking us, our teacher, Uchiura.

A ray of light beamed in through the windows, shining upon the board. Particles of dust floated about. I clutched the wreath tightly, and my heart beat faster as my classmates poured in. Where's Riko? Riko….

"Riko!" I shouted, when she entered. She looked up, surprised, both hands holding her bag.

"Darren-kun!" She piped, giving a slight bow. "Morning!"

"Morning, Riko! Uhhhhh, here!" I displayed the wreath before me. "For you!"

Riko suddenly blushed, as the whole class stared, mouths agape.

"D-D-Darren!" Riko stuttered, brushing her hair. "Th-that's… so… sweet…" She bent down slightly, and I place the circle of pink flowers atop her head.

"There," I said, admiring my princess. Riko's eyes darted about the floor, and her rosy cheeks made her look even more beautiful.

"D-Darren-kun…" She stood in front of me, in her ethereal beauty, a glorious figure, shining brighter than anyone else. The flowers adorning her completed her transformation into a goddess. A perfect lady. My girlfriend, who was dignified, sweet, humble, well-mannered, caring, and the best friend in the world.

"And take this," I said, giving her the pink bracelet. "I have one too. So we won't forget."

She took it, and placed it on her wrist. I did the same. Then she bowed deeply.

"Darren! I thank you!"

* * *

We stood in the gym, watching the third-years approach the stage, accepting their diplomas.

Mari announced each name shakily, fighting to hold back the tears.

"K-Kurosawa Dia," she announced, and Dia's graceful figure rose to take her certificate.

Riko stood beside me, the wreath in her hair, our hands clasped together.

"Everyone… I'm honored to be part of Uranohoshi," Dia announced. "Please, take care of her when we're gone."

We applauded, and the next student was called. I looked out the window, at the falling sakura petals, and the bright sun.

"Matsuura Kanan." Kanan accepted hers, and gave a short speech of thanks.

After the third years were through, Mari said that the transfer students would be given special diplomas as well, for participating in the transfer program.

Kent, Howard, and Emerald were called up, and finally me.

I took the diploma with reverence, a thousand emotions bottled up in my heart. I glanced over the audience, tears filling my eyes. I gulped.

"Everyone- thank you!" I left the stage, quickly trying to press the tears back into my eyes.

"And with that, our class has completed its instruction at Uranohoshi," Mari said, and everyone applauded.

"Not yet," Ruby said, and she ran up to the stage, along with Maru and Yoshiko.

"Here, for Ohara Mari. Congratulations on your graduation," Hanamaru announced, presenting a diploma to Mari.

"G-guys…" Mari said, voice shaking. "Everyone… th-thank you!" She took the diploma and bowed. "Thank you…" Tears were rolling down her cheeks, and the first-years hugged her.

"Don't cry, Mari-senpai," Yoshiko said. "Don't cry."

Many of us in the audience cried.

But there was nothing we could do, and we filed out of the gym, into the light, into the sakura-filled schoolyard.

People were crying left and right, taking pictures, crying more…

"Hey, everyone! Don't forget! It's time to CELEBRATE!" someone shouted, and we all remembered.

"Yeah!" Someone else agreed. "No more crying! Let's party until the end!"

In a spontaneous movement, we all took to the festival.

* * *

Stalls surrounded the yard, and the hallways were filled with laughter and chatter.

We toured the school, for one last time. We ate tons of delicious food, many from our classmates' families. Shima and Mito were there, selling their Mikan dishes, the Kurosawa with their fish, Mari's hotel restaurant…

"Here! Try this grilled Mikan," Riko said, feeding it to me. "It's good, right?"

"Yeah! It's delicious!" I took another, and another. "Sorry about that!"

"It's okay! Take as many as you like, little bro," Mito laughed.

"Yeah! Don't worry, we've packed a huge bag of mikan for you to take home," Shima said.

"Really?! Thanks! Wait… is it even legal to bring fruit overseas… whatever."

We went to a stand where we wrote calligraphy on slips of paper, and posted them around the school. At another, we folded origami, and I made a heart for Riko.

We went to a class of third years, where they had a maid cafe. Every single maid wanted to serve me, and I couldn't turn them down. I stuffed myself full of sweets and pastries, as each third-year girl pampered and chatted with me.

"Go do what you guys like," I said to the others. "I'll be here a while…"

Good thing I had Hanamaru to keep me company, and we gained a few thousand calories together.

After that, You came in, shouting, "Hey! Who wants to go for a ride on my boat! For free!?"

"Yeeeeahhhhhh!"

"Wow, I guess you guys love this school so much, you have to do something for the festival..."

We all went to the dock, and You gave free rides around the bay. I sat in the crowded boat, good vibes in my heart. I felt the spray of the ocean upon my face, and we laughed and ate and drank.

The wind made me feel so free, and I stood at the helm of the boat, leaning into the beautiful oblivion.

Kanan gave free diving lessons, and we were soaked head to toe when we finished, changing out of our diving suits. The afternoon was dying, and the orange sun was upon the horizon once more. Back in our uniforms, we walked back to school, jubilant and joyous, the coolness of the evening and the warmness of our hearts. A star had appeared in the sky, and we laughed together, without saying why; we pushed each other, teased each other, hugged each other, raced each other.

Upon reaching the yard, the festivities were still in full swing, and the red lanterns illuminated the school. People milled about to and fro, lightheartedly chatting, eating. I went for supper, once more making a round of the stands. As I did so, I felt a miracle within me, and I could not be more blessed in the world.

I look to my right, and there is Riko, the wreath still in her hair, and she laughs and smiles at me. I look to my left, and there is Chika, balancing a mikan upon her head. It topples off, and she scrambles on the floor, and we laugh. Some people release lanterns into the air, and we watch in reverence as they float to the heavens. The fresh smell of yakisoba pierces my nose, and I go for more. Howard is standing at the corner, strumming his guitar, singing a Japanese country song. Girls are around him, singing and clapping their hands. Classmates are shutting down the indoor activities, and the outdoors becomes even more festive. Ruby suggests that we paint the school, but Mari refuses, because it isn't closing down. You-chan salutes me as she passes, saying that she'll grab some sparklers. Yoshiko comes back with her, a pile of sparklers in her arms. We pass them out together, and Dia suggests that we get the bonfire going. Everyone helps, and soon there is a fire burning bright and strong. Our school surrounds it, as the dark shadows around us are chased away. Excited, laughing, we light our sparklers, their bright sparks shooting about. We whoop, we cheer, we wave them around. The stars and moon are high in the sky, and the fire is still burning. Mari suggests we sing a song, and we do, our voices in unison, rising into the night. We hold our hands, we sway, we breathe. We have had many troubles, we have many troubles but they are all gone, gone in the fire before us. We sing around the fire, of our deepest wishes, of our deepest regrets, of our true love.

 _We've done everything we could_

 _We've come this far_

 _And here we are_

 _Where is your courage?_

 _Here, in my heart_.

That's why I will keep running, keep trying my best, to chase my dreams. To never give up, to keep going when all is lost. To have courage.

We sing more and more, and the fire begins to fade. It shrinks and shrinks, and soon our voices are tired. But we don't know when to stop, because we are all singing together, and everyone keeps going because no one is stopping.

The fire shrinks to a flame, and suddenly, a thunderclap echoes in the sky.

Rain pours down, drenching us.

The fire is extinguished, and we all scurry for cover.

"Good night," we say to each other.

Goodbyes are hastily said, and the students rush home in the darkness, happy as can be. Still, laughter can be heard, as some decide to dance in the rain. I do so, until more and more leave, until me and my friends are the only ones left, our beautiful voices in perfect harmony.

 _Our dreams won't fade_

 _Oh, they won't fade_

 _Let's chase them, whatever it takes_

 _Because today is today, and tomorrow is tomorrow_

 _It'll be a new morning_

 _And the sun will shine again._

* * *

"WHOOOOOOOOO! Home, I'm coming home!" Kent whooped, as he met us at the bus stop on that last Saturday.

"Where's Howard!?" Emerald said, worried.

"Oyyyy!" We say Howard, coming over with his suitcase behind him. The morning was fresh again, but the clouds still hung over the land. The streets were wet, and puddles were all about.

"Watch out!" Riko warned, as Howard rolled his suitcase through a puddle, sending water splashing on us.

"Sorry!" Howard replied, running a hand through his blonde hair.

"Man, I know she didn't choose you, but show some decency!" Kent said, joking.

"Breh…"

"Howard!" Emerald ran to him and kissed him. "Howard! I love you!" Her body was racked with sobs, her green highlight bobbing back and forth.

We looked upon them with solemn smiles.

Soon the bus arrived, and we went to the station, where we waited for the train once more.

A feeling of calm had pervaded over us, and we sat in silence.

"You gonna miss Howard?" I asked Emerald.

"Yeah. Lots."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's alright. We all have to move on."

The train arrived.

On we went, speeding toward goodbye.

All the way to the airport, our hearts beat faster and faster, and it wasn't even me who was leaving yet.

We reached our destination, and soon we were standing around Howard and Kent, saying our final goodbyes.

"Howard, Kent… You guys are really cool," I said. "Yeah, I know, I don't know what to say. But I'm really grateful for you guys."

"Yeah, we understand," they replied. They proceeded to hug all of us.

"Don't go," Yukio said, grabbing Kent. "Don't you leave me."

"I'm sorry, Yukio. I'm so sorry."

"I know." Yukio sighed, heart heavy.

"Don't cry, remember? Don't cry." Kent patted Yukio on the back.

"Everyone, it's been such an honor. You know, I was such a loser back then, but you guys did so much for me. Now I feel like I can do anything, you know? I'm so grateful for that," Kent said.

"Kent-chan, you go!" Mari cheered, trying to smile.

"Yeah! Kent!" Ruby added.

"As for me, some of you had trouble with me at first," Howard said, eyeing me. "Yeah, I know, I was kind of a jerk. But that's over now. I love you guys."

"Are you going to be okay with your family now?" Riko asked, concerned.

"Yeah. Definitely. I'm over it. I'll just have to work harder, to support my sisters," Howard said. "But I won't ever forget Mom."

"That's good," Riko said, hugging him. "Bye, Howard."

"Bye, Riko."

With that, we hung around, saying our goodbyes, until the time for the flight arrived. We waved, as they departed through the gate; one last look, one final "bye", and they were gone.

We turned back, and now Aqours was minus two.

Back to Uchiura, where the rain had started again.

"Well, that's that," Dia said, sighing. "Tomorrow, it's you two, and later, us third-years."

"Yeah. It's been a great year," I replied.

* * *

As we arrived, we decided to spend the rest of the time we had together. Upon the wet beach, where we splashed each other in the rain. We giggled and laughed. We ran and skipped, jumped and ducked. All the while, time ticked away and away, and rushed ever on, towards the final goodbye.

Soon we were all tired, all finished. The rain had cleared up, but we were so exhausted, so we said our goodbyes.

"We'll see you off tomorrow as well. Goodbye, Darren," You said, bowing.

"Goodbye," they all said, bowing.

"Goodbye," I replied, bowing.

"Don't cry," Kanan said.

* * *

With that they left, but Riko was still here, beside me.

"Darren. Walk with me."

"Riko."

We walked along the beach, in the quiet afternoon.

Riko's hair blew in the wind, and the hem of her pink dress fluttered. She was wearing a blue cardigan, and a brown purse around her arm. I could smell her sakura scent, which I etched into my memory forever.

"Riko-"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

We kissed.

I held her face in my hands, and made sure that I had imprinted every inch of her beauty onto my mind.

"So, I'm going to leave tomorrow."

"Yeah."

"I don't want to."

"I don't want you to either."

We stopped in our tracks, and looked back at our footsteps in the sand.

"We've come so far, from where we started," Riko remarked softly.

"Yeah… ever since that first night that I met you, standing underneath that streetlight, in the dark… you were just any other person, in an unknown land. Who knew that we would end up like this?"

"Mm-hm. You were just a stranger, who we gave a ride to on a random night. But then that changed, right?" Riko replied.

"Yep. We went to class together, and we became friends."

"And there was that time when you first came into my room, and it was so awkward…"

"But things changed, and we bonded together."

"Like that one time when we went to get a present for Howard."

"Yeah, and those sushi-shirts…"

"And we ate ramen together…"

"But then I noticed you getting close to Howard…"

"And I did. And I liked him. And I made you really sad."

"Yeah. Oh, remember that night when we walked through the rain to the convenience store? I held you in my arms for the first time. But you loved him."

"And when winter came, you saw me kiss him."

"And I was so sad, I almost gave up…"

"But you didn't."

"No, I didn't. And I tried harder."

"And I fell out with him. And then I remembered you."

"And that night, at the amusement park, when the fireworks were in the air…"

"I brushed my lips against your cheek…"

"And I realized that I was madly in love with you."

"Oh, the times when we would play the piano together…"

"And we sang about understanding…"

"Then we won Love Live, together."

"Yeah. And we loved each other so much."

"And we will continue to."

"I love you."

We kissed again.

"But now, it's- it's almost time for me to leave," I said, my voice cracking. "There's not much time left."

"I know, Darren!" Riko said, raising her voice. "Darren!"

"I don't want to leave! I don't want to leave!" I shouted, suddenly finding tears upon my face.

"Oh, Darren! Oh, Darren!" Riko sobbed, falling to her knees in the sand. I pressed her against my chest, kneeling with her, crying.

"We've spent so much time together, I can't live without you!" Riko screamed, sobs racking her body, tears overflowing.

"Riko! Riko!" I felt an uncontrollable force within myself, and I just cried, and cried, and cried.

"I thought! I thought we weren't going to cry! Why are we crying!?" Riko lamented, shaking her head, tears spilling everywhere.

"Please! Stay with me forever, Riko! Don't ever leave me…! I want to spend forever with you!"

"I know, Darren, I know! There isn't a moment I spend without thinking of you!"

"Ahhhhh, Riko! All the things we've been through together… We've been through so much… so much…"

"Crying, laughing, being angry, being happy…the times we almost gave up, the times we tried our best..."

"But now, we must take different paths… why?"

"I guess, Darren, I guess that's just the way it works."

"How can I go back home, and live day to day without your love? It's only because of you that I can keep going!"

"Darren. Darren." Riko released me, and wiped her tears, which kept pouring out.

"Hm?"

"I think I know now."

"Know what?"

"Why I met you."

"Why?"

"I learned to never give up."

"But… how? After everything we've accomplished, we still have to say goodbye. We have to give up!"

"Have to? I don't think so." Riko's tears stopped, and she smiled. She stood up. "Stand up, Darren."

"Huh?" I stood up, meeting her in the eye.

"Don't forget," she said, holding up her wrist, which wore her pink bracelet. "I'll always remember you."

"Remember!? But I can't just remember, I NEED you! How can I-"

My words were cut off as Riko planted her lips on mine.

When we released each other, Riko wiped away my tears.

"Don't worry, Darren. I believe that we'll meet again. I know it. So don't cry. We'll meet again."

"Riko…" I felt that my tears were all gone, and the sun was shining bright in the sky.

"Yes. We're definitely going to meet again. I know."

"But… how?"

Riko smiled, her beautiful, pure smile, her long hair trailing over her shoulders, her pink dress soaking up the rays of light. Her blue cardigan fit her perfectly, and her hair clip reflected a multitude of colors. Riko giggled, her brown eyes seeing straight into my heart. She pointed into the blue sky.

"That's why," she said.

A rainbow arched over the bay, beaming its palette through the air.

"We'll meet again. It's a promise," she said.

I looked up, and suddenly, I smiled.

"Hey, you're doing the exact pose as in one of your UR cards in School Idol Festival!" I realized. "The one where you're pointing at the rainbow, standing upon the beach, in the exact outfit you're wearing right now."

"H-Huh? Really?"

"Yup! That's my favorite card!" I said, laughing.

"Oh! Okay…" Riko giggled, pulling me along.

"Yeah. I know now. We'll meet again," I said.

"Yeah! Darren-kun, I wanna sing you a song I wrote. So you'll always remember me."

"Really? Sure!"

"Come on!"

Riko led me into her room, and she took her place at the piano. I sat next to her.

"This song is called 'Pianoforte Monologue', and it's dedicated to Darren. Actually, it's called 'Pianoforte Epilogue'. It's about all the times we shared, and how grateful I am for all of them. In music, piano means soft, and forte means strong. An epilogue is the end of a story. So, this is about all the soft and strong times, the sad and the happy, of the end of this story. All the ups and downs… I want these feelings to reach you, wherever you are, no matter how far. Not even if you're on the other side of the world. Remember. We'll always be under the same sky. So please, listen and enjoy." Riko cleared her throat, and sang.

 _Many sounds flow from within me_

 _Sounds good and bad_

 _They blend with my dreams, they create a song_

 _Has it been sleeping all this time?_

 _This feeling in my heart_

" _Wake up," I realised that's what you said to me on that day_

 _Even though I'm facing the keyboard alone_

 _I know I'm not alone_

 _Because our feelings are always connected_

 _I'll put my faith in that_

 _That's why I'll try everything, without fear_

 _And become stronger_

 _I tremble with nervousness, but step forward, to my destination_

 _I'll be calm, move my fingertips_

 _I'll smile, play an arpeggio, become free_

 _I want to envelop you with music_

 _Please, accept these feelings of mine_

 _I want my 'thank yous' to reach you_

 _That's why I play this melody_

 _I know, it sounds too grand, but it's true_

 _So please, don't ever forget it_

 _Maybe I can convey my appreciation for everyone through this piano_

 _I'll play it again and again, this joyous melody_

 _I want to envelop you with music_

 _Please, accept these feelings of mine_

 _I want my 'thank yous' to reach you_

 _That's why I play this melody_

 _I know, it sounds too grand, but it's true_

 _So please_

 _Don't forget it_

 _I'm really, really glad to have met you_

 _So please, don't ever forget me_

* * *

I awoke. Sunday. The clock read five in the morning. Last night, I thanked Mrs. Takami for everything she did. I told her that I could get up early in the morning and take the bus, because she offered to drive me to the airport. I said that I didn't want to trouble everyone, since my flight was early in the morning. I sighed, rising to my feet. My desk was clear now, and I folded up my futon. I slowly finished packing my bags, and glanced around, taking in my room, everything, for one last time. The house was silent, and I quietly dressed, tiptoeing out the door. I breathed in the crisp, seaside air, which had a note of finality in it. The sky was mixed blue, black, orange. Riko's melody still rung in my ears. I turned around, looking upon the home I had for so long. I bowed, and said silently, "Thank you."

I turned and left, passing by Riko's house.

I already said goodbye to her yesterday, and that we would meet again. It was already over. There was nothing left to say. And now, it was time for me to go back, back to where I came from. I would pass silently, grateful to have been in their lives. But time will pass, and I would be gone from this place. Uchiura would always be here, but I would not. But there's nothing I can do about it, right? In the end, we always have to move on. I'll go back home, where I have to face everybody, where I have to continue living. I have to face Jenny, my old friends, my parents, everyone I left behind. But, I'm also leaving behind this home… These friends… Well. Whatever. The end is the end, and there's no fighting it.

I took the train to the airport, and pulled my suitcase along.

I waited impatiently for the plane, tapping my foot.

I was trying to force myself to leave, as much as my feet wanted to take me back to Riko.

"Hurry up, plane! Come already! Let me go home!" But I knew where home was, and it was not where that plane would take me.

Finally, the time was drawing close. Where was Emerald?  
I felt worried, that I would see Aqours again. I already said goodbye, and that was that. I didn't want any more emotions…

"Darren! There you are!" I heard Emerald's voice, and she rushed over to me. Is it just Emerald? No. There rest were here, waving.

"Darren! Where were you?" Riko asked, kissing me. "You weren't going to leave without saying goodbye, right?"

"I thought we already said goodbye," I replied.

"Well. One more time." Riko hugged me, and we embraced. "I want to spend every second with you, until the very end."

I spoke to my friends for one last time.

"Gimme a hug," Kanan said, embracing me. "Darren, always be happy," she said. "You're such a big baby!" Kanan began to cry.

"Kanan! Don't cry," I said, smiling.

"Oh, Darren… bye-bye… I'll see you in California."

"I'll see you around," I replied. Kanan released me, then went on to Emerald.

Mari took her place, and she gave me a hug.

"Darren-kun! I love love love love you! You're such a cutie," Mari said. "You're like a little brother," she said.

Dia grabbed me out of her hands.

"Darren! Smile! Keep smiling," she said, a longing, caring beauty upon her face. "Never forget to smile."

Hanamaru came, and buried her face in my chest, sobbing.

"Oh, Darren-senpai, you better come back," she said. "There's still so much to do!"

"Don't worry, Hanamaru-chan! I'll be back."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

I took Ruby in my arms, who leapt on me, her twintails flying.

"Darren! WAHHHHHHH!" Ruby wept like a big baby, but I was one too. So I wept too.

Yoshiko blushed, giving me the biggest hug ever.

"You take care, alright?"

"Alright. I'll watch your stream," I said. "Yoshiko. Teehee!"

Yoshiko smiled, and stepped back.

You kissed me on the cheek.

"You're the best, Darren," she whispered. "The best."

"Oh, You-chan!"

You began to cry, and I tried frantically to wipe away her tears. She smiled through them, and saluted me.

"Zensoku zenshin, yousoro!"

Chika punched me in the arm.

"You left without telling me! Mom let you?"

"I told her I didn't want to trouble you guys."

"Well, it would be more troublesome if you left without letting us see you off!" Chika cried. "I love you so much, Darren! You're the greatest brother in the world."

Yukio hugged me tightly, and I hugged her back.

"Yukio, you're the sweetest," I said. "Thank you for being such a good friend. Although I did assault you once."

"That's okay," she replied. "It's all good! You better not forget me."

"I won't."

I turned to Emerald, who laughed and shoved me, after all the others had hugged her. Though she laughed, tears were falling from her face.

"What are you looking at, Dary?" She giggled. "You'll be seeing too much of me."

"Whatever," I said.

"I thought we weren't going to cry, guys," Chika said, wiping away her tears.

"Whatever happened to that," I mumbled. There was only one person left.

Riko approached me, and I felt my heart beat faster.

No matter how many times I saw her, my heart would not stop racing when she was in my presence.

She took my head in her hands, a solemn, loving look in her eyes. Her eyebrows were bent in concern, in admiration, and she kissed me, a pure, pink kiss upon my lips. We held that kiss for as long as we could, and all throughout, warm tears trailed down our faces.

"Don't forget me," she breathed into my ear. A chill ran up my spine.

"I won't."

"I love you Darren."

"I love you Riko."

Everyone was watching us, but we kissed again. And again.

But time passed.

And it was time to leave. Time to say goodbye.

We released each other.

"Goodbye, Riko."

"Goodbye, Darren."

My fingers graced hers for a second more, and the next, they were apart. I turned my back, heart beating faster and faster.

I stepped forward, away from my family.

Further and further, into the crowd.

I turned back, and saw them waving, crying.

I caught Riko's eyes, and she smiled at me.

And that was the last time we ever met.

The crowd closed over her, and that one last glimpse, one last connection, was gone.

Onto the plane, Emerald next to me.

We sat in silence, as we buckled up.

We both looked out the window, and the tears kept coming.

Were they still there, watching us? Waiting until we left?

The engine started, and we lurched forward, into the sun. Up, up, and up. And then away.

I suddenly laughed.

"Dary? Why are you laughing?"

"Why not? That was the best year of my life," I said.

Emerald thought a moment, looking out at the clouds passing by.

"I guess it was."

"Don't worry, Riko," I said. "I'll always love you."

The city underneath me shrunk, smaller and smaller. I kept my eyes upon it as long as I could, but soon the clouds blocked it from view. And I was gone.

 **The End**

* * *

Epilogue

Well. That's my story. In the end, life goes on. We all have to move on. No matter how much I wanted to stay there, I had to leave eventually. Life goes on. Nothing lasts forever. I went back to California. The first few months were the hardest. School at home wasn't out until May, so I had to go right back to school. Back to the daily life I always had. But I was so sad, so so sad. I couldn't do anything anymore. I had no motivation. The only thing I could think about was Riko, and all the friends I left behind. What was left for me here? My heart was always in agony. No matter what happened, I still felt empty. As if the real me was still there, upon the beaches of Uchiura. I tried to text them, but they eventually got busy themselves, and over time, we lost touch. Soon, life went back to normal. The long dream was over, and it was time to face reality once again. I met my old friends, who missed me a lot. I used my newfound social skills to change my life for the better, and I made up with Jenny as well. But time passed, and slowly, all the experiences I had became a memory. Time passed, and life became normal. I never met Kanan at diving school, and I fell out of touch with the rest. I know, it's sad, but it's life. I never went back.

* * *

Until now. Wow, this is an old journal… I just found it last night. Well, a lot has passed since I wrote in this thing… Just so you know, I graduated from college already. I found a job with a company in Japan, so, yeah, I'm actually leaving today. The reason I decided to pick this job… well… I had some good memories there. But that was a long time ago... This notebook was sitting in the bottom of one of my boxes when I was packing up… along with two pictures… from that one time, when I went to Japan for high school… I found this old pink bracelet. Ah, why am I writing in this old thing? What's the point? Come on, I'm an adult now. No use thinking about stuff in the past. Well, I'm actually sitting in the plane right now, so I have nothing better to do... I put the pink bracelet on my wrist, and take the pictures out of my backpack.

My friends…

A wave of nostalgia rushes over me.

Riko. Was that her name? The girl next to me. Of course it is. Sakurauchi Riko! My- girlfriend.

Suddenly, everything came rushing back to me.

" _We'll meet again."_

I felt my heart race, just like it did so many years ago.

The words she said to me…

" _I'm really, really glad to have met you_

 _So please, don't ever forget me…"_

Of course! Riko! How could I ever forget you!

We said that we would meet again. We promised.

I touched the pink bracelet, and looked at the picture of us together, wearing our sushi shirts. We were smiling, happy. I suddenly felt that emptiness in my heart once more. As if something was missing. Riko. Riko. Riko. Her name echoed in my ears, and I could not stop thinking of her. That Uchiura girl that I had loved, once upon a time.

But the truth is, I don't know what happened to her; where she is.

So, I guess, it's all over. There's nothing left.

* * *

I got off at the airport, and made it to Tokyo Station. Wow, it has sure been a while since I was here… It was crowded as usual. I pulled my suitcase along, and awkwardly got into the next train, which would take me to my destination. I was squished between a ton of people, and I awkwardly looked at the train ceiling, not wanting to bother anyone. I clutched the handle tightly, still thinking about the photographs in my backpack. Aghh. Stop thinking about it! It's over! It's time to move on! I shook my head, and looked down. I examined the pink bracelet, and as I did, my heart beat faster and faster. Why am I even still wearing this thing!? This stupid thing! I need to move on! But- what is this longing emptiness in my heart?! Why do I feel like… something is incomplete? Like before, a thousand feelings filled me, and only one thing was on my mind. Riko. Riko. Riko. I need to stop. I tried to wrestle the bracelet off my wrist, but before it could come off, I caught something in the corner of my eye.

* * *

On the wrist of the person next to me, was a pink bracelet like my own.


	31. OVA 1: Senioritis

**OVA 1: Senioritis**

 **11/8/2018 Hey everyone! This story has been complete since March, but I just wanted to bring it back- here's a little something for you guys. Drop a review or suggestions, and maybe, just maybe- I'll consider a second season, writing about Darren and Riko's future!**

* * *

Sweltering, scorching heat… no, it's not summer yet. Spring break has come, and already the sun's streaks beat upon me. I throw my books back into my bag, falling upon my emerald colored sheets. I look at the ceiling, breathing a deep sigh. _Wow, senoritis is really hitting hard,_ I thought, wiping the sweat from my forehead. I reach over my bed stand and take a hairband, tying up a ponytail. I peep at the mirror, slightly swaying the dark locks and pasting a smile onto my face. I brush a strand behind my ear, and something catches my eye- a photograph on my desk, of Aqours. Wow, those were good times- the boy I loved, Howard, my close friend Darren… LOL he's eyeing Riko-chan in this picture! Awwww, it's Yukio! Kent… My eyes tear up as I think of the dream that has ended, almost a year ago.

Hi everyone! It's me, Emerald! Oh, yes, I'm very sorry Darren's not here. Please put up with me for a while…teehee! Don't worry, I'm going to keep this brief. It's my senior year, and my high school days are coming to a close. In a couple months, graduation will come, and we'll all go our separate ways. Many of us are already preparing to move to college- I wonder how many of my friends will leave, never to be seen again.

"Hey, Emi-chan!" Darren called, standing outside my window.

"Woah! Seriously, Darren!?" I yelled, jumping up and yanking the edges of my t-shirt down over my underwear.

"Ehe…sorry…" Darren chuckled awkwardly, looking away.

"Watcha up to?" I asked, while sliding on some shorts.

"Not much. I was just playing video games with my friends, and I decided to stop by on my way home."

"Well, you wanna go grab some boba?" I asked slyly, taking out my stamp card for the local teahouse.

"You know I do!" Darren piped, grinning. I snatched my bag and skipped out the door, meeting Darren at the street. We walked down the crusty sidewalk towards the Village, the plaza where people hang out after school. It was quite busy today, as everyone was on spring break.

"Gosh, the line goes all the way outside," Darren remarked, as we arrived at the boba teahouse.

"Oh, it's fine! We can catch up on things!" I said cheerfully. "We haven't talked in a while."

"That's true. How's it going with Howard?" Darren smiled, raising his eyebrows.

"Uhh…" That was not a question I wanted to answer, because the truth is, Howard has never called or texted me since I left Japan. What a jerk. "Oh, we don't talk anymore. He's not worth my time," I said cooly.

"You're smart," Darren replied.

"Well how's Riko-chan, your fair princess and love of your life?" I questioned in return. Darren sighed.

"We haven't video called in two weeks. She says she's busy cramming for university entrance exams. She always forgets to reply to my messages…" Darren's face became downcast, and he opened his messages, staring at an unread "Hey Riko".

"Hey." I put my hand on his shoulder, smiling warmly. "Don't worry. After she's done with exams, she'll definitely call you. Riko's not the type to forget others."

"Yeah, I know that. I'm just worried that I'll forget. Once I go to college and all." Darren rubbed his eyes.

"Yo, cheer up! I'm not even sad that Howard's gone!"

"Well, that's because you're one of those chicks who dispose of men one after another!"

"Woah, woah, woah! I don't dispose of them, they just be hat'in on me, ya know? Anyway, it's our turn to order. Uh, can I have a large matcha milk tea with boba, please?" I ordered.

We sat down at an outdoor table, hiding under the umbrella's shade.

"Man, I wish we could go back to Japan. It sucks in California," Darren complained.

"Yeah, because Japan's the only place you can get girls," I teased.

"Really now? I don't see you with a boyfriend."

"That's just because they're not up to standards," I explained. Suddenly, a group of guys clad in basketball street attire catcalled me, and this gruff dude came over with a Jamba Juice and slammed it on my table.

"For you, beautiful," he drawled, running his hand through his hair.

"Uhh… no thanks…" I cringed, handing the juice back.

"Yo, why you hangin' with this little nerd? What your numba?"

"Hey! Go away!" I said, shooing the dude away. "And for the record, don't buy me a drink when I already got one."

"Woah, okay, okay! This one's feisty!" The guy laughed, leaving with his noisy friends.

"That- was- disgusting," Darren said, blankly sipping his drink.

"See? This is what I have to put up with all the time," I said, flustered, throwing back my hair.

"Yeah, I guess that gets annoying. I just want to see Riko again. I'd do anything. I think I want to marry her, Emerald! Like, seriously. The next time I see her, I'm going to pop the question- no matter what. I have to take the chance if I get it- who knows what will happen?" Darren daydreamed, hand on his cheek.

"Hi Darren!" A feminine voice resounded, and we turned to see Jenny approaching. She was a slightly tall girl with straight black hair, wearing a pink bomber jacket, short-shorts, and a white Adidas cap.

"Hi Jenny!" Darren and I said in unison. Jenny sat down at the table, cocking her head at Darren.

"You two up to no good again, I see? Or reliving your Japan memories?" Jenny flipped out her IPhone, taking a selfie with Darren while holding up her Starbucks.

"Oh my gosh, you actually liked this girl?" I asked Darren. If you don't remember, Jenny was the girl Darren liked in the past, and they used to spend every lunch together, until that one time when she got creeped out by him and sat with her new friends, because she didn't want to be teased for being with Darren. What a b****.! But obviously, she's technically my friend, cuz I'm one of those… "popular girls" I guess… and I still remember the day when she joined my group during lunch. Wow, I remember seeing Darren walk away crying…

"Well, yeah, but now-" Darren was cut off by Jenny's finger on his lips.

"Hush. I know I was very rude, but I don't want you to remember that. I'm a good girl now, okay?" Jenny winked, letting the right shoulder of her jacket slip off, revealing her straps. When I saw Darren's eyes widen, I was like, "Eh, eh, eh! Darren! Stay faithful!" I know I'm not the one to talk, but Darren X Riko is the real OTP.

"Oh, Emerald, don't worry about me. We're just friends," Jenny laughed, covering her mouth.

* * *

That night, I lay in my bed, wondering. How will Darren and Riko stay together? They've got college to go through, then their jobs… They're going to be so busy, how will they find time to talk? I fear that they're drifting apart right now; that even after exams are finished they'll never have the same relationship… What can I do to help them? I mean, they're my super close friends and everything. Hey, what if I call Riko right now? She probably won't pick up, since she's so occupied…

I called up Riko, and she answered, her soft, quaint voice filling my ears.

"Ah, Emerald-san?" Riko whispered.

"Riko-chan! How's it going!?" I said cheerfully.

"I'm suuuuuper busy… I have to study for my university exams."

"Aww, Riko, take it easy! You sound so tired."

"Yeah… tell Darren I said hi, okay?" Riko asked timidly.

"Wait, but he told me he's been calling and messaging you, but you rarely pick up nowadays."

Riko's breath quickened, and I heard her sniff.

"Um- well-" Riko's voice stuttered, coming out of my phone. "The thing is, I- my mother, actually, told me that I should slowly stop contacting Darren. Because we're growing up, she said, and I should move on. I have to prepare for my future, she said."

"Are you seriously going to listen to her?" I said, annoyed. "If you love him, don't let him go!"

"I know, I know!" Riko was crying. "But I think it's necessary. We have so much to do in our lives, in our own places, I don't think we can ever meet again. Maybe, sometime in the future, but it's just going to be a vacation! How are we going to be together forever? I don't want it to drag on indefinitely, without any of us knowing what to do. What if, by some chance, some new people come into our lives? It's just- long distance doesn't work out." Riko sighed.

"You know you don't mean that," I said.

"Yeah. I don't…" Riko sighed again, and I heard her close a thick textbook. "But I just don't know what to do. If only, someday, by destiny, we'll meet again, and actually be able to spend every day together, just like we did before…"

"It's not impossible," I suggested.

"Yeah. Until that day, I'll just keep wishing… Oh, how much I would give to spend time with him again… to run around town in our sushi t-shirts, sneak drinks at shabu-shabu, put on sunscreen at Mari's island… help with Hanamaru's temple, have fun in the mountains, talk about deep stuff on the beach… play piano together… win Love Live together…"


	32. OVA 2: A Good Day For Fate

OVA 2: A Good Day For Fate

There was a time when I hated the world and everyone around me. I remember the day my father died. It was back when we lived in the Tokyo apartment, during my first year of high school. The sakura blossoms had just bloomed, and my father was away on a business trip in Los Angeles. I was excitedly awaiting his arrival home…. On that day before we received the news, I was at my piano recital. I wanted to play well, to make my father proud. I wanted to win first place. But I couldn't play, and when I got home, my mother was in tears. She told me he had been robbed and murdered. They were going to send his body back for the funeral. It seemed to me as if everything was lost. I still remember the smell of the incense as we honored his shrine.

That's why we moved to Uchiura, where I was supposed to begin a new life. That's when I met all the members of Aqours. I fell in love with Howard, because both of us had lost a loved one, and we supported each other. Well, after a while, I couldn't help but fall for Darren. Because… well… i don't really know. He's different. Howard was kind of controlling… like he treated me like a prize… don't get me wrong, I'm sure other girls would be happy with him. But Darren is my little cutie. Like, he's really cringe and awkward, but I like him.

However, things are different now. Ever since he left, I've been contacting him less and less. My mother told me to give him up. Because we're all going our separate ways. We're all growing up, doing our own thing, on different sides of the globe. There's no way we would end up together. I know I sang about miracles and such, but would such a thing truly happen? Come on. This is real life. The dream of those days is over. I'm in college now.

My university is in Sapporo, a city on the northern island of Hokkaido. You know Hakodate, where Saint Snow was from? Yeah, that's just to the south. I really like it here. It's nice and chilly, especially in winter. I've made a few friends, but sadly, none of the other members of Aqours are here. I guess I just have to grow up, right?

"Sakurauchi-san! Class is about to start!" my friend called, and I quickly shook out of my reverie and packed my bag. It's weird not wearing a uniform anymore. I was wearing a green jacket and pink skirt, with my hair tied in pigtails. I wonder what Darren is doing right now. Where he would be. Whatever. Time to go to econ class.

Class ended, and I walked down the stark white hallways. Oh yeah, it's the club fair today! Outside, hundreds of tables were set up and people bustled everywhere, advertising their activities and browsing the selections.

"What clubs are you going to join, Sakurauchi-san?" Akane-chan, my friend, asked.

"I'm not sure yet. Ahh, I really want to join the music club, but… I don't know. I'll think about it. Let's go check them out!" We walked among the commotion, past dancing ballerinas and kendo demonstrations.

The sound of music graced my ears, the beautiful strum of a guitar and the jazzy tunes of a saxophone. Around the corner, a band was playing.

"It's a great day for fate," the singer sang, a shag-haired boy. The riffs abounded throughout the air, and the crowd swayed to the musical bliss. My heart beat fast as my old passion resurfaced. When the piece was over, the crowd burst into applause.

"They're amazing!" Akane exclaimed, clapping her hands excitedly. "Are we going to join?!"

"You bet we are!" I cheered, running to sign up. When I wrote my name on their sign-up sheet, the boy looked at me curiously.

"You can't be…" he muttered to himself.

"Hmm?" I questioned.

"You look a lot like Sakurauchi Riko. You have her name too. You know, the one who won Love Live with that revolutionary duet, paired with that foreign guy?"

"Uh- well, I'm Riko. Like, I am her."

"WHAT? THE REAL RIKO?" People stared, and a second later, I was swarmed by the paparazzi.

After what seemed like a hundred signatures and selfies, a group of students stopped me.

"Hey, Sakurauchi-san. We're from the Foreign Students Committee, and today we're offering this special deal. Since you're probably very rich and live in a big mansion, would you like to host an exchange student? I bet millions would want to dorm with you! You can earn a lot of money as well. Charge whatever rent you want!" The student handed me a flyer.

"Wow! Interesting." To tell the truth, I live in a tiny apartment all alone. It only fits one person, so I don't know if I can host another….


	33. Season 2:33: Reunion

**Season 2**

 **33: Reunion**

So here's what really happened. I know I said I graduated and all, and was finding a job in Japan, but in truth, I'm still in university. That being said, I WANT to graduate and get a job. I'm really getting tired of school. All this work… for what? That's why, it's my third year of college, and I'm studying abroad in Japan. Hopefully something interesting will happen. Ah, I remember those days in high school… all the good times I had… all gone. Hopefully, somehow, I can find that joy again.

The school I'm going to is Suika University, located in Sapporo. Yeah, "Suika" means watermelon, and that's one of the main reasons I chose to come here. I love watermelons. Besides that, it's very prestigious- there's no way I would've gotten in directly, that's why I'm coming through the study abroad program. Well, I don't want to bore you any longer. Here's what happened….

* * *

…On the wrist of the person next to me, was a pink bracelet like my own.

My heart began to thump wildly, blood pulsing through my veins. I felt the heat of the crowd around me, the sweat building as I clutched the train handle. Slowly, my eyes moved up from the soft hand, up the arm, past a light pink blouse, long locks of dark hair, coming face to face with a fair face, quaint lips, and beautiful almond eyes. Her cheeks were pink, and her bangs were slanted across her forehead. Her expression was empty, then full of realization, surprise, and elation.

"Darren-"

"Riko-"

Suddenly, the trained lurched to a halt, and Riko, not holding onto anything, was sent flying towards me. After a few curses from the neighboring passengers, I found myself embracing my love as she fell, catching her with her face buried in my chest. The nostalgic scent of her sakura shampoo filled the air as I kissed her head. She put her arms around me, and we hugged.

"Darren-chan, is this a dream? I know it is, but I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry, so sorry, for forgetting you. I know! I promised! How could I do this to you!?" Riko stood upright, and tears were streaming from her face. Myself unbelieving, I smiled.

"I know I'm real. Are you a dream?" I said, not knowing how to reply.

"Darren? Is that really you?" Riko asked, wiping the tears from her face.

"Yeah. It's me. The loser you won Love Live with. And fell in love with."

"Oh, Darren! Wh-why are you in Japan again?"

"I'm coming for college! I'm going to Suika University! I'm actually going to this address, where my homestay roommate told me to meet him." I pulled out the address on my phone. "I wonder who this guy is. He should have met me at the airport anyway, since we still have to get on a transfer flight to Sapporo. Kinda sketchy." As I explained this, Riko's face was one of building excitement.

"What's the matter, Riko?" I asked, still in shock that I happened to meet her on some random train.

Riko laughed aloud.

"I go to Suika too!" She beamed, grinning from ear to ear.

"What?! That's crazy! Yes! YEAHHHH!" I shouted, and everyone glared. I reached forward and picked Riko up, spinning her around.

"Wheeeeeeeeeee!" She whooped, jumping up and down when I set her on her feet. "We can hang out together!"

"Yeah! It'll be just like old days!" I cried, reaching for her hand.

She pulled away.

"Riko? What's wrong?" I asked, surprised by her sudden coldness.

"Hm? Oh, nothing… sorry… it's just… you… this is all so sudden, I'm still finding it very strange."

"Oh. Okay."

"W-well, I guess I'll help you meet your roomate? Lemme see the address."

I showed it to Riko, who peered over, head cocked, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. She froze.

"Uh-um." Riko gulped.

"Hm?"

"WELL…" Riko stuttered. "Actually, I signed up to rent my apartment out with a roommate. It was an offer from my school's Foreign Students Committee. I just gave them my information, telling them they could pair me with anyone. Well, I was supposed to meet this person today, at Akihabara, because her bio said she was into anime. I'm so forgetful, I went to the airport! Then I realized that I told her to meet at Akihabara, so here I am going there! But the problem is, this address you have is the exact one I gave her!"

"How is that possible?" I replied. "My roommate's name is like Kazuki or something."

"Kazuki… wait, he's someone from class! He also signed up for the roommate program. His roommate, apparently you, also stated he liked anime in his bio! That's what he told me! Guess we both had the same idea to meet at Akiba for a nice welcoming activity."

"Wow, that's great! Let's go!" I cheered, and we left the station, emerging into the metropolis.

As we walked together, wave after wave of nostalgia hit me.

"Darren-kun! Ah, remember that place? That's the bookstore where we found each other, after you went on your depressed wanderings!"

"Oh yeah! I remember. I went to that maid cafe, and had a nasty situation with that girl, Mimi. I wonder if she's still around!" I joked.

"Ha, like she'd remember you," Riko smirked, patting me on the shoulder.

"Well, did you remember me?" I shot.

Riko's smile faded, and she looked to her feet.

"Of course I did. How could I forget?"

"But. What you said on the train…"

"I- didn't forget. I just… tried to. I'm sorry… I loved you so much, I felt that I couldn't move on. After my mother told me to forget you, I was angry. How could I? But after all these years… It's been almost four years! I told myself that you weren't coming back. So I just pretended that I forgot." Riko looked ashamed, and she held her head low. I reached over and put my arm around her shoulders.

"Well, I'm back," I said softly, and we smiled at each other.

"Oyyyyyyyy! Sakurauchi-san!" A male voice called, and we saw a cool-looking guy sitting at an outdoor cafe table.

"Hi!" Riko replied, motioning me over. "This is Darren, your roommate!" The guy looked me up and down, not impressed. I gulped.

"Uh, hello," I said awkwardly.

"Wassup." He looked disinterested, and pulled out a cigarette. "This guy's whack," I whispered into Riko's ear.

"I'm sorry," she whispered back.

"Oof."

Just then, a girl came up to our table. She was blonde, with green eyes.

"Hello! Is this Sakurachi-san? I'm Sarah Winston, your roommate?" The girl reached her hand out, shaking Riko's.

"H-hi!" Riko mustered a warm smile. "Yes, I'm Sakurauchi. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too!" The girl said jovially.

Kazuki, my roommate, was sweating.

"Hey, gurl," he said in broken English. "You're going to Suika too?"

"Uh, yeah," Sarah replied.

"Mmm. All four of us. Well, I have an idea," Kazuki said slyly.

"What's this?" Riko remarked nervously.

"Sarah, sit down please. I'll buy you a drink." Kazuki motioned for the waitress and ordered a Calpico. Sarah, blushing, sat down. "You into Japanese guys?" He asked her.

"Uh, hell yeah!" Sarah replied. Riko and I looked at each other very uncomfortably.

"Well, guess what. Let's SWITCH ROOMMATES!" Kazuki laughed, putting his arm around Sarah.

"Wait, what?" Riko said softly.

"Is that allowed?" Sarah said.

"No one really cares," Kazuki replied. "You wanna room with me, girl?"

"Well, sure!" Sarah was looking very entranced by the creep.

"Then let's go! WHOOOOOOOO!" Kazuki leaped from his seat, threw down a few bills, and lifted Sarah into his arms. "Time to get busy!"

"Okay, he's not even going to ask us if it's okay with us," Riko said angrily.

"But it is, right? Like… that means we'll be rooming together…" I muttered.

"Well… Hey, Kazuki! You didn't ask for our consent!" Riko called, but Kazuki was already running off with Sarah.

"Hopefully we won't be seeing them anymore," I said, my heart racing once more, realizing that Riko would be my roommate. Riko was silent, and we turned to face each other.

"Um. I guess... we're roommates then," she confirmed, giving me a shy look, her eyes darting across my face and to the table. She brushed her hair unconsciously, twirling it around.

Is this really happening?

"Riko… I'm so glad we got to meet again," I blurted, heart overflowing with emotions.

"Me too," she replied, and we hugged once more. "Come on, let's go have fun!" Riko said enthusiastically. "We don't have much time!"

HONKI WO, BUTSUKE-ATTE! TE NI IREYOU… MIRAI WO! *OP 2 PLAYS*


	34. 34: Lovers In the Rain

34: Lovers In the Rain

"Are you alright?" Riko cared softly, brushing my shoulder with her fingers.

"Mm," I replied, dozing off. The jetlag was hitting hard, and we were aboard the plane, flying to Sapporo. Outside, night had fallen, and I admired the sea of lights shrinking below us. I felt Riko's soft breathing against me, and I held her tight. We had so much fun today. I sighed, letting the condensation spread on the window. Drifting away, I dreamed of a summer sunset, Riko by my side, on the beach of Uchiura.

"Pssst. Wake up!" Riko pecked me on the cheek, and I opened my eyes. Outside, it was bright, and we were descending upon a city which I had never seen before. The lush green hills were lined with purple flowers, and the city below was cloudy. When we touched down, I emerged into a misty morning, a light drizzle sprinkling upon my face. Riko smiled.

"Well, we're here!" She reached over and pulled my hand, leading me to the train station, where we took a quick ride and arrived at the university. I glanced about at the complex of old European buildings and modern glass towers.

"This looks amazing," I remarked, as a large group of university students passed by, laughing and chatting. The university was right across from the station, a large patch of colorful green and reds, detached from the gray cityscape around it. "Do you have class today?" I asked.

"No, not today. I wanted to show you around!" Riko giddly ran ahead, motioning for me to follow. We walked amongst the buildings as she pointed out the classrooms, dining hall, and library. After a while, we decided to stop at Riko's favorite cafe on campus.

"I still find it strange that we're just talking to each other so calmly after we've literally just coincidentally met after so many years," I said.

"Yeah, I know! I was thinking the same thing. You know, things like that happen. I guess we're just too close, we can get right back into it even after all this time," Riko replied.

"Well," I said, "It's just like it was before. Have we changed at all?"

"Have we? I'm not sure. I mean, I feel the same!"

"Mm, from what I can tell so far, you seem a little more giddy. But that's probably just because of everything that just happened; meeting you and all."

"Hahaha! Yeah, I feel like the older I get, the more immature I get," Riko laughed, pinching my cheek.

"In my case, I feel old. I was so desperate to finish school, and get a job. I don't know why. I guess it's because all those years after I left you felt so dry. Like there was nothing for me. It's like that feeling, when you go on a great adventure, and you come home, and it's all the same. Nothing has changed, and you feel that you can't go back to the life you once had. Once you have a taste of freedom, you never want to lose it." I took a sip of my coffee, and looked out the window, where the rain had started to pour.

"That's… interesting. I know what you mean. When I left Tokyo for Uchiura, I was trying to start a new life. After my father died. Then I met you, and Aqours, and everything was great. But it all ended, and I don't think I could've stayed there. That's why I moved up here, to get away." Riko looked down at her tea speculatively.

"I understand where you're coming from, Riko, but… this is just a question, but do you think that we should run away? From the things that make us feel, the things that make our hearts race. Good or bad, do you think we should run, or face it head on?" I questioned.

"Oh, it's not that… I know you should face your fears. It's just… my feelings are different. It's not really good or bad. It's just, the feelings I get when I'm at Uchiura, or back in Tokyo, they're kinda- both. Bittersweet, I guess. No matter how much I face these feelings, they will always haunt me, remind me with every step I take in that memory-drenched place."

"Sigh. I guess. These things are very complicated."

"Yeah, but that's what I love about you, Darren. You like to discuss these things! Hahaha, that's why I felt so connected to you, even though you were a stranger. Remember when we ate ramen together, and discussed our feelings? And all those times in my room. Hehe. Weird stuff happened too, but-"

"Riko-chan!" A girl's voice sounded, and a student approached our table.

"Ah, Akane-chan!" Riko replied, addressing her. Akane-chan was a good height, with large, round eyes, pink lipstick, and had her hair in pigtails. She wore a long, white skirt and a sky-blue blouse, toting a soft pink handbag. "Sit down!" Akane pulled out a chair and sat down, straightening her skirt and brushing back her hair, face slightly pink as she addressed me with the corner of her eyes. "Ah, this is Darren," Riko introduced. "Darren, this is Akane, my close friend."

"Hello! Nice to meet you," I said, bowing slightly.

"N-nice, to meet you," Akane replied, hastily nodding her head. "A-are you Darren, the boy that played with Riko-chan at Love Live?!"

"Yup, that's me!"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Akane squealed, burying her face in Riko's shoulder. "Why is he here?"

"It's a long story, but let's just say he's going to be my roomate," Riko replied.

"What?! How?! Oh, Darren-san, I was your biggest fan!" Akane yelped. "Back in high school, when I saw you on TV, playing and singing, I fell in love! You were soooooo cool! Oh, I can't believe I'm meeting you in real life!" Akane was tugging at my arm, getting her face up in mine. I could smell her perfume.

"That's amazing," I replied. "I never knew I still had fans. But of course, you love me as an idol, right? Like, not romantically?"

"W-well, o-of course…" Akane said, eyes lowered, slowly retracting. "Yeah, because your girl is Riko-chan. Of course, hahaha!"

Riko smiled. "Akane-chan is very fond of you, Darren. She would talk about you all the time. She has a poster of you in her room!"

"What?! Wow!"

"Ahhhhhhhh Riko don't tell him that!" Akane was blushing profusely.

"Are you jealous at all?" I asked Riko.

"No, of course not! Well. I dunno. It made me sad, because she would go on about you when I was already supposed to have forgotten about you. Yeah, the past couple years… I've missed you." Riko suddenly reached over the table and planted a kiss on my lips. Akane looked away, and everyone in the cafe looked to us.

"Darren, I love you," Riko stated.

"Riko, I love you," I replied.

Riko suddenly excused herself to the bathroom, and left me at the table.

"Uhh…" Akane sat there awkwardly, twirling her hair. "S-so… Darren-san, you really love Riko, don't you?"

"Of course I do," I said absent-mindedly, wondering why Riko had suddenly run off.

"You're really lucky, to have a girl like her. Ah, your love life is so cute. I wish I could have one like that. S-sorry that I'm speaking to you so casually, even though I just met you."

"No, it's fine! Y-you from around here?" I asked.

"Yeah, I was born and raised in Sapporo."

"That's cool! I've always wanted to come here. Because I love the snow and all."

"Really? You're so lucky, you live in California. It's so sunny there."

"You get tired of it after a while. Also, there aren't as many pretty girls like you."

What did I just say? Uh….

Akane suddenly put her hand to her mouth, and her ears were red.

"D-Darren-san, y-you think I'm pretty?!"

"Uh. Well, yes." It's too late, I had to go through with it. Gosh, if Riko heard.

"Th-thank you… ah, before Riko comes back, c-can I get your autograph?" Akane pulled out her notebook and opened it to a page filled with anime renditions of me.

"Sure! You don't have to wait until Riko isn't around, you know. Ask me anytime!" I signed my name.

"Thanks! I'm so glad to have met you! So you'll be starting classes tomorrow as well?"

"Yup. I'm pumped now!"

"Yeah! I hope we have classes together…"

Just then, Riko came back, and I could see streaks of tears on her face.

"Riko-chan! What happened?!" I stood up and held Riko in my arms.

"Nothing. I was just… crying. Because… because…" her voice cracked, and she began to cry again. "...because I'm just so glad… to see you again. I don't want to lose you this time, Darren. I don't want to!" Riko bawled, and everyone was staring at us again.

"Don't worry, Riko, I won't leave you again. I won't. Don't worry, I'll find a way."

Riko gulped, and rubbed her eyes. She smiled weakly.

"Akane-chan, I'm sorry you had to see this," she said.

"Oh, it's fine… I'll… leave you two be, see ya tomorrow!" Akane waved goodbye and left. Afterwards, we departed, Riko opening her pink umbrella amidst the rain.

She held me close, and we began our somber stroll towards the gates. I thought of the long road ahead, of which I knew nothing. Once again, this uncertainty plagued my mind. But for now, I held her tight, and continued on. The patter of the rain upon our umbrella made me solemn, so I turned to my love.

"Darren! I'm gonna take you home now," Riko smiled, showing her teeth. Her warm eyes comforted my heart, and we continued onto the streets in a daze, entranced by love.

Finally, we reached her apartment.

"Here it is," she said, closing her umbrella and beckoning me into the lobby. We got into an elevator, and went to the fifth floor, the highest. She unlocked the door to room 504, and as she did, I stared out at the city which I would call home. We were under an awning, and some raindrops were blown by the wind into the open hallway.

"Come on in." We entered the small apartment, which had a bathroom, a desk, a closet, and one bed. "Ah, you're soaked. Come, take that off," Riko said, and helped me with my bags. She unzipped my jacket and placed it on a hook. "Here. I'll get the hot water running," she said and entered the bathroom. I looked around at the room, simple, quiet, yet filled with the feeling of Riko. I entered the bathroom, and Riko left. I undressed and began to wash myself.

"Ahhh," I sighed, watching the steam rise as I felt the warmth of the water. It felt really nice. My heart was at peace, when the door opened.

"R-Riko?!" I panicked, as Riko walked in, only a towel around her body.

"Shhhh," she whispered, lightly turning my head away. I stared at the wall, continuing to wash. I heard her towel fall off, and felt her warmth behind me. I sat there, tense upon the stoll. I heard her pull up her own, and begin to wash. After a while, she sighed, and leaned back. Her back fell on mine, and her head was against mine. We sat there in silence, facing opposite directions, listening to the sound of our breaths. I felt her wet, slick hair against my skin, each running drop of water sending a shiver down my spine.

"Darren." Riko suddenly turned around and hugged me from behind, her chest pushing onto me, although there wasn't much there anyway.

"Riko…" When she let go, she dried herself and dressed, leaving me staring blankly at the wall in front of me. I collected myself and finished, going back into the room where Riko was lying on her bed, wearing pink pyjamas and writing in her diary.

I walked over and sat at the foot of her bed, placing a hand on her leg.

"It's a small room, but it's great," I said awkwardly.

"Hm? Yeah, it is," Riko smiled. "Here, I have a futon for you." She took a futon out of her closet and put it on the ground. "You can lie here."

"Thanks," I replied, flopping down onto the futon. I looked at the ceiling, listening to the sound of the rain. "This feels nice," I said. "It's rainy out, and we're inside, just relaxing. I love this feeling."

"And I love you," Riko shot, winking. "Ohhhhhh!"

I laughed.

"Hold on, I have something to make it even better!" Riko grabbed two mugs and made green tea. "Here. Don't burn yourself like you usually do," she said, giggling. I chuckled, taking a sip and scalding my tongue.

"Ahhhhghghghh!" I screamed, putting the cup back on the table.

"Darren, what did I say?"

"Every time! Every single t-"

Riko planted her tongue on mine, intertwining us together. I kissed her back, passionately, reaching my hands up her shirt. She suddenly retracted and pulled my arms out.

"What are you doing?"

"Uh… what? I thought we were going somewhere…"

"I was just cooling down your tongue," Riko replied, blushing.

"That was… an interesting way of cooling."

"Yeah… sorry… man, I don't know if it'll be healthy for us to live together like this… it's too tempting!" Riko remarked.

"No no it's fine," I said hastily. "Don't worry!" I was not about to lose this fantasy arrangement.

"Okay, I guess, I want to be with you too," Riko answered. "By the way, we should grab some lunch."

We braved the storm again, huddled together as we walked three blocks to the convenience store. Once there, we ate some bento and drank more tea. We spent the day reminiscing about old times, laughing and laughing until night fell. The clerk knew all about our life stories by then, and we waved goodbye to him as we departed into the darkness.

"Ahh, that was so fun," Riko said, leaning on me as I held her umbrella above her. We walked past colorful puddles, reflecting the orange, green, red, and white streetlights. The air smelled crisp, with the faint scent of flowers.

"Yeah, we got so carried away," I agreed, swinging my small plastic bag, filled with snacks.

We arrived home, and got ready for bed.

"We better sleep early tonight, got class tomorrow," Riko advised. So, we quickly got tucked in and hit the lights.

I lay there in the darkness, pondering upon all the things that have occurred.

It's almost like a dream.

"Darren?" Riko said, her voice filling the quiet air.

"Riko?"

"This isn't a dream, right?"

I thought for a moment.

"No. It isn't."

"Good. Night, Darren."

"Night, Riko."

I closed my eyes, wishing with all my heart that I would wake up right here.


	35. 35: White Valentine

35: White Valentine

My eyes opened faintly, and I felt a shiver down my arms. Where am I? Why am I sleeping in a futon? This isn't my room…

I turned my head, and saw the window, lined with frost. Outside, the city was covered in snow. Snow? I sat up. Riko laid on her bed, softly breathing, Her soft cheeks were slightly pink, and a lock of hair fell over her face. When I stood up, she blinked, waking. When her eyes lighted on mine, she suddenly screamed.

"Yaaaahahhhh! What are you doing here?!" She quickly planted herself against the wall, pulling her blanket over her legs.

"Riko-chan? We… live together! You forgot?!" I answered in shock.

"Oh… yeah…" Riko blushed. "Well… it's the first day of classes, right? You better go get changed."

"You go first," I said, trying to be nice. At least I didn't say to go at the same time….

"O-okay," Riko said, quickly rising. "It's snowing… make sure to stay warm."

Wow, what's gotten into her? She seems moody. After we finished getting ready, we exited the apartment. I looked at Riko, who was dressed in a long, white coat and a pink scarf. Her tight jeans were complemented by white boots. "What are you staring at?" Riko teased, pulling a beanie over her head, pink with tassels.

"You look amazing," I replied, smiling.

"Thank you! You do too," Riko laughed. "Let's grab some breakfast."

We stopped by a cafe on our way to school, munching on some croissants.

"What's your first class?" Riko asked.

"Um…" I pulled out my schedule. "Economics?"

"Ahh, a classic. Do we have any classes together?" She took my schedule and perused it. "Ay! We have English together!"

"Yeah!" I exclaimed.

"Wait, why are you even taking English?"

"They said I had to. It's a required course."

"But you already know it!"

"They said I could help out the professor, like a TA."

"Ohhhh. You could… help me!" Riko cheered giddly.

"Exactly! And you can tutor me in Japanese. Just like old times."

"Awww!"

When we arrived at my class, Riko sent me off, fussing over my clothes, hair, and school supplies. She gave me a hug and waved goodbye. I turned and entered my economics classroom, which was one of those large lecture halls.

Well, I don't have any friends, so I'll just sit at this random spot at the back…

"Pssst. Pssst! Onii-san!" I heard a soft voice nearby. It was Akane, Riko's friend who was obsessed with me. Uh oh.

"Please sit with me! Pleaaaaaase!" She writhed in her chair, gripping the hem of her skirt.

"O-okay. Just call me Darren," I said, sitting down next to her.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH I can call you Darren!" Akane squealed, audibly to the rest of the students.

"Shhhhhhhh!" I shushed, burying my face in my bag.

"S-sorry!" Akane mumbled. "...Darren." She let out a choked laugh, clearly elated at saying my name.

"So-so, did you sleep well?" I asked, trying to make small talk.

"Well, of course! I was holding my Darren plushie until I fell asleep!"

"Uh…. ok."

"What about you, Darren? Did Darren have a good sleep?"

"Well, kinda. It's just a little scary sleeping in the same room as the girl of your dreams."

"Oh… yeah…" Akane replied, looking downcast. "It must be great… anyway, are you any good at economics?"

"Nope. Not at all."

"Really? I love it!"

Just then, class began, and Akane was cut off. I noticed throughout the whole lecture that she kept casting glances at me out of the corner of her eye. After class ended, I packed up and was about to leave when I felt Akane's soft hand gripping mine.

"H-hey…" Akane's large eyes pierced into mine, her lips slightly ajar, beads of sweat behind her bangs.

"Yes?"

"I know… that I just met you, and that you're taken, but… it's Valentine's Day today, and… I just wanted to give you this." Akane drew a box of chocolates out of her bag and handed it to me with both hands. I took it, smiling.

"I just realized it was Valentine's," I said. "Thank you so much." I patted her on the shoulder. Akane bowed shyly, and skipped away.

The day flew by, and I was finally reunited with Riko.

"Darren!" Riko hopped over and hugged me. "Come!"

"Huh? Where are we going?"

Riko led me towards the front entrance of campus.

"Urggggg…. They should be here somewhere…" Riko looked around in frustration.

"Who are we looking for?" I asked, clueless.

Then I saw them.

"DARREN!" Chika and You stood at the gate, sunny smiles adorning their faces as they waved.

"CHIKA! YOU!" I screamed, running to meet them. They embraced me tightly, and burst into tears.

"Hey, hey, don't cry!" I said, hugging each of them again.

"You look exactly the same," Chika mumbled, stepping back and looking me over. You tackled me viciously, and I almost lost my balance. Riko giggled with a blushed face.

"D-Darren…"

"You-chan! Wow, you've changed!"

"Really? I still look like a kid!"

"Yeah, but I mean, I FEEL something that has grown!"

"Pervert!" She yelled, covering her chests and kicking me in the shin.

"Yeowwww!"

The four of us burst into laughter, pure happiness at being reunited.

Both Chika and You were dressed in fashionable attire, complete with pleated skirts and off-shoulder blouses.

"But man, you two look great," I remarked.

"Hey, you do too," You replied. "You actually look… cooler."

"R-really? Thanks! Riko never told me…"

"Well," Riko smiled, "that's because you'll always be the same to me!"

"Awwwwwww!" Chika and You cooned, while Riko pecked me on the cheek. I blushed.

"Why are you guys here anyway? We have so much to catch up on!" I said.

"Well, Riko invited us over cuz' it's Valentine's Day, and we had to get you stuff," Chika said.

"Let's talk over some tea, shall we?" Riko suggested, and we went to the school cafe.

We sat down with our drinks, and obviously, I burnt my tongue on the first sip. Chika and You apparently went to a college in Tokyo. Hanamaru went to a local college in Shizuoka, Ruby a fashion school in Tokyo, Yoshiko and Yukio are in New York, Kanan is still in California, Dia found work in Tokyo and Mari, well, she's in Italy. We don't know what happened to Kent and Howard, but I told them about Emerald, who was in college back in LA.

"Do you still talk to her?" Chika asked.

"Well, sometimes," I replied. "I mean, we're third year college students already. It's hard to keep in touch."

"So how was your first day of classes?" You questioned, her face mellow and round as always.

"It was awesome! Yeah, much more satisfying than back home."

"That's because it's your first day," Riko informed. "You see, the more you go, the less fun each day will be. It's called diminishing marginal satisfaction."

"Stop pulling econ jokes on me!" I teased, playfully slapping Riko on the arm. "Oh yeah, Akane's in my econ class."

"She told me," Riko said.

"Who's Akane?" You asked, interested. "Your roommate?"

"No, she's my friend," Riko explained. "I met her on the first day of college. I mean, you could see her from a mile away, wearing Aqours merchandise. She said I looked like Riko, and kept trying to befriend me… well, I am Riko, so, naturally, she became obsessed. She has a massive crush on Darren here." Riko giggled.

"Ahhhhh don't say that," I shot back. "It's so awkward. She's a fangirl! And I already have you, so it's a no-no."

"I know, I know… but Akane is really sweet and I wouldn't mind if you talked to her. Just remember to stay as friends," Riko warned.

"Okay, okay. Chika-chan, how's the ryokan? Your sisters?"

"Still the same as always," Chika replied. "Nothing ever changes in Uchiura. Other than that one year, when you were here."

"Yeah, that's so true," You agreed. "I still think about those days all the time. They were so filled with fun! And tears, but it was all worth it. I know they say to always move forward, but I can't help but wish I could go back. Back to the days of Aqours, youth, and love…"

"Hey, we're still very young," I said. "There's still so many things we can do. Heck, we could even revive Aqours, once we're all out of school!"

"Like that's ever going to happen," You disagreed. "We're all going to be so busy with life. There's going to be so much going on, we'll never come back. I know it's sad, but it's true. Some things will always stay in the past."

"Wow, look at You, all talking grown-up now," Chika commented. "You gotta be optimistic. Always hope for it."

"I wish things would stay in the past," Riko blurted suddenly, her face contorted in pain. She rubbed her eyes, and tears spilled down her face.

"Riko-chan!" We said in unison, getting to our feet.

Riko leapt to her feet and bolted for the door, hands on her face.

"What happened?!" Chika asked.

"I don't know!"

We ran out after her, into the icy snow.

Riko was nowhere to be seen, only a blinding white cityscape that smelled of chocolate and kisses.

We hurriedly rushed past couples holding hands, to the central plaza where a ball was taking place. Romantic music was playing as couples danced on the cleared cobble, and punch bars lined the path.

"Riko!" We called. "Riko!"

"Was it something I said?" You wondered.

"It was probably something I said," I corrected.

"Oh, Riko… please…" Chika lamented. "Let's split up. If you find her, text the chat."

We opened up our LINE applications, and went on the Aqours group chat that had been inactive for all these years. The last message was "haha" from Yukio in response to a picture of Emerald and I finding Yumedake merchandise in a LA store. It was sent seven months and three weeks from the day I left Japan. We all thought the same thing.

"I guess it just died out, eh?" You remarked.

"Yeah," Chika and I agreed solemnly.

We split into different directions, and as we searched, night fell. I trudged through the snow on the edge of campus, feeling hopeless and depressed. What had suddenly gotten into Riko? Yeah, I've noticed she was acting strange lately.

The beams of headlights cut across my vision, illuminating the snow for a few seconds. Dark trees lined the path, and I passed by a quiet couple sitting upon a bench, admiring the stars. I called her for the hundredth time.

Where could she have gone? Was she back in our apartment?

Just then, I heard a familiar ringtone, the sound of a piano. Up ahead, I spotted a figure sitting upon a bench, and the illumination from her phone cast a ghastly glow upon her tear-streaked face.

"RIKO!" I ran up to her and held her tight. When she saw me, she began to cry again, and she sobbed on my shoulder. "Riko, tell me what's wrong. Please."

"Oh, Darren, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry… I don't… deserve you. Oh, Darren!"

"What are you talking about? I love you, Riko!" I wiped the tears off of her soft cheek.

"It's… you know, what I was being sad about before?"

"Wh-what?"

"My past. Remember how my father passed away?"

"Oh… Riko…" I sat down next to her.

"I can't stop thinking about that day. I wanted to play the piano for him. I wanted to present him with that first place trophy, so he would be proud of me. But then I couldn't play. I was so sad, I hoped he would be home to comfort me… but…" Riko's voice racked with sobs. "...but how, why, on that day, they said he had been murdered, over in LA. I waited so long for his trip to be over. I was so excited… but everything changed…"

"Riko…" I didn't know what to say.

"I'm grateful for you, don't get me wrong. The days when you were with me, you helped me put it all in the past. But since you've been gone, the nightmares have returned."

"I'm here for you now," I whispered. "I'm here for you. Don't worry." I held her tightly, and we rocked under the moonlight.

"Why did it have to happen? My father was the funniest, nicest person ever. He never did anything wrong," Riko said, drying her face.

"There's a lot of evil people out there," I replied. "Every moment, we are constantly surrounded by evil. You can't escape it… and sometimes, it takes your life. The world… is a cruel place…"

"I know. But why him? Why me? I still remember what it was like before everything happened. I remember my first day at Otonokizaka, all dressed up in my uniform. The school of Muse. And I played in the music club, on that same piano Maki used. The days I practiced with my Tokyo friends, and we would go eat ice cream after school… Then we would go back to the music room, laughing in the small room of light among the dark hallways. And we would play music, and be happy. The days leading up to that recital, my friends had made posters for me, saying 'Ganbatte, Riko-chan!' and drew pictures of me and my piano. I miss them. And then everything came crumbling to pieces."

"I'm… sorry." I felt the tears at my eyes. "If you put it that way, I'm the one who doesn't deserve you. I've complained about how bad my life is so many times. But they're all lies. My life has been too easy compared to yours. I'm sorry."

Riko looked into my eyes. Her dark, beautiful irises glistened in the dark.

"Don't say that, Darren. I think… this is something that will never go away for me. Don't blame yourself, Darren. Some things will never change, but that's okay. You already did all you could. Don't blame yourself."

I wanted to tell her no, to tell her that I would swear to make her smile and forget. But I had to obey her wishes.

"I know you're going to comfort me, and say that I should move on. But I can't." Riko was a mess, and she could not stop the tears. Never before had I seen her in such a pitiful state. I thought of all the times when I took comfort from her, when she cheered me on, told me not to give up, made me smile. She was always the strong one, hopeful amidst all her troubles. Riko was the one who made me who I am. Has time really changed us this much? Or has she always been like this? I just didn't know her well enough. Well. It doesn't matter. All that matters is for Riko to be happy.

"Hey, Riko," I started, unsure of my words. Riko looked up at me.

"Riko, I… I know I'm not great at comforting people. So… I don't know, I just wanted to say that, you know last night? When you walked in on me bathing? And you just took off your towel and washed yourself right behind me?"

I could see Riko's face trying to suppress a smile.

"Remember that, Riko? And then you laid your wet hair on my back? And I felt your skin?"

Riko put a hand to her mouth, and I saw her eyes smiling.

"Remember?"

"Of...course…" Riko whispered, trying her hardest to stifle her giggles.

"Well, that was pretty hot," I stated bluntly, bursting into laughter.

"You pervert!" Riko said aloud, slapping my face and roaring with joy, the tears hopping off of her face.

"Hey! You're the one who intruded on me, so aren't YOU the pervert?!" I retaliated.

"Wh-what? No! I mean, I just, I uhhhhhhhhhh WHATEVER that was nothing HEHEHEHEHE!" Riko shook her head violently, leaping to her feet. "Forget it, let's go find Chika and You! I gotta apologize for ruining everyones' day." Riko pulled my arm, and we went back to the ball, where I called Chika and You.

"Riko!" The two spotted us and came over, leaping upon Riko. "Are you okay? You can talk to us, Riko-chan!"

"Ah, I'm fine now! I'm so sorry, this was supposed to be a fun day! Now I wasted your entire visit! You guys were supposed to be on a day off, and there's classes tomorrow, and you spent the whole day just looking for me!"

"No, it's fine!" You said. "We're your friends. We're here for you. Now please, tell us what's wrong, so we can help you."

"I'd rather not say," Riko said, eyeing me.

You and Chika looked at each other, as if surprised that their close friend would keep a secret from them. I wanted Riko to tell them, but I guess she wasn't comfortable.

"Oh, well, as long as we're all together again," Chika sighed. She grabbed my hand. "Bro."

I smiled. "Host-sister." We burst into laughter.

"Hey, remember when I had a crush on you?" You said.

"Yeah, we all do," Riko answered.

"Hahaha, look where that went," You replied. "Ah, you guys are going to have such a great time living together."

"Woah woah woah, what are you implying?" I said jokingly.

"Nothing!" You giggled. "Will you dance with me?" She held out her arm, motioning toward the dancing couples with her head.

I looked at Riko, who grinned and shooed me off.

"Yay!" You pulled me into her arms, and we danced to the soft, delicate music. The snow fell around us, and we held hands as we stepped to the beat. You looked into my eyes.

"This reminds me of that one time when we woke up to snow," You said.

"Yeah, and I fell or something and you kissed me, then like Howard came and made out with Riko, and I was all crying and everything," I answered.

"Hahaha you remember that!"

"Of course I do."

We danced for a while, then Chika came and shoved You away.

"He's Riko's," she teased. "But let me dance with you, since I was your host-sister."

"Uhhhhh… ok."

Chika violently took my hands and began to swing. Her hair whipped around her face, long and wavy.

"Chika! You grew out your hair!" I remarked. "You look amazing!"

"You just noticed!?" Chika pushed me into the arms of Riko. "Yeah, all you care about is Riko," she teased, leaving me with my girl.

"Um, hey," Riko said.

"Hi."

We danced together for a long time, irresistibly smiling as we stared into each other's eyes. Her face seemed to glow in the moonlight, and I kissed her as we danced. It was a moment of bliss, an escape from this dreadful world.

When the last song ended, we were so tired, we found Chika and You sitting on a bench, huddled up and eating yakisoba.

"That took a while," You said, smiling as we approached.

"Here, we got food for you guys," Chika handed us our own plates.

"Thank you so much!" Riko thanked, and we ate together, the four of us squished onto the bench.

"Sorry for dancing so long, we kinda got caught up," I said.

"Oh, it's fine," Chika said. "Here. For you." She produced a large box of chocolates and handed it to me. "It's from You and I. Open it."

"Oh, thank you!" I opened the box, and next to the chocolates was a picture of the four of us, walking up the path to Uranohoshi. It was one of the selfies she took as we were going to school together. "Awwwwww! When was this?"

"It was the first week after you arrived," You answered.

"That's so sweet!" There were also letters from Chika and You. We sat and talked until it was late, and we had to say goodbye to Chika and You.

"Hey, we should play some music together sometime," Chika said, as we walked her to the gate.

"Yeah, I really want to start Aqours again," You chimed.

"Maybe. Sometime," I said.

"We'll find a way," Riko assured.

We waved farewell and began our trek back home, a feeling of unsaid euphoria and silent satisfaction between us.

"So how was your Valentine's Day?" Riko asked.

"It was great," I answered, as we waited in the elevator.

"Well, I want to make it better." Riko smiled slyly.

"W-what?" My heart began to beat faster. Riko pushed me up against the elevator wall, and began to kiss me. We made out until the door opened, and we turned to see an old lady, looking absolutely horrified, standing at the doorway.

"S-sorry!" We apologized, and quickly headed to our room.

"That was awkward," I remarked, half-exhilarated and half-embarrassed.

Riko smiled.

"You know, that wasn't what I meant when I wanted to make your day better," she said sweetly. "Here." Riko took a green-colored heart out of her bag and held it out, her head lowered. "It's your favorite color."

I took it, my heart melting with love.

"Open it."

I did, and it revealed a beautiful selection of white hearts.

"It's white chocolate, your favorite." Riko smiled. "Shiroi Koibito, a Hokkaido exclusive."

"Riko…"

"Sorry I didn't put any pictures or letters in it… but I just thought that it's your favorite, so I hope you like it." Riko looked earnestly at me.

"I love it," I said, giving her a hug. "Just wait until White's Day. I'll get your favorite dark chocolate."

"Well White's Day is your birthday too! So that means I have to give you a present!"

"Hahaha, I'm glad I'm born on March fourteenth!" I laughed and popped a chocolate into my mouth. "Mmmmmmmm! Want one?"

"No thanks," Riko replied. "White chocolate isn't even real chocolate."

"Yeah, yeah keep talking," I replied, shoving another down my mouth.

"Happy, Valentine's, Darren."

"You too, Riko."


	36. 36: Do It With Me

36: Do It With Me

Days flew by, and we haven't talked about that night's tears since. Truth be told, I felt… lacking, in a sense. Bored, even. Was this really what I wanted? Sure, I got to go to class, talk to people, stay with Riko, but could there be anything more? Like, more than the puppy love we have? Ah, what am I thinking?

"Oii! Darren-san! Come here, we're going to grab some hot chocolate!" Akane called as I stepped outside of the building. She was wearing a beige coat and cap, while Riko stood beside her, stately grasping her bag and casting a sideways glance at me as she adjusted her green jacket.

"Darren, why are you looking so down?" Riko asked as we walked, her eyes large and questioning.

"Me? Aren't you the depressed one? Sorry," I said, apologizing for the sensitive question.

"Hey! Well, you seem bored. Is there anything I can do for you? Like, anything." Riko winked.

"Woah! Riko! Well, of course, I mean, I would…"

Just then, we heard two clear voices resonating through the snow-covered campus. Ahead, upon a bench, two girls sat, one strumming a guitar. They were singing a beautiful, melancholy song that drew a crowd of spectators. One girl was taller, with her hair tied in a ponytail slightly askew and the other was shorter, sporting shoulder length hair. They were both dressed in white coats, and their breathes appeared as steam in the air.

After they concluded their song, the crowd clapped and surrounded the girls, wanting to talk to them. I felt myself drawn in among the people, eager to find out who these talented musicians were.

"What major are you?"

"Are you a freshman?"

Amidst the questions, I heard the girls say, "I'm Leah, and she's Sarah. We're sisters!"

Hold on a second. Why did these names sound familiar? I turned to Riko.

"Do they seem familiar to you?"

"Wait, is that Leah and Sarah?!" Riko suddenly squeezed through the crowd, calling their names.

"Riko!" The members of Saint Snow cried, embracing my girlfriend.

"When did you guys come to Suika?"

"We just transferred here this year. Our parents wanted us to go to school closer to home," Sarah, the older sister replied.

"Wow, that's great! We can hang out," Riko said cheerfully, a cute smile upon her face. The crowd had almost dissipated, and I stood there awkwardly as I had never met Saint Snow in real life.

"H-hey, you guys are Saint Snow, right?" I said shyly.

"Yeah! Back in the day we were," Leah said. "How did you know?"

"Duh, I did watch the anime," I replied.

"What a weeaboo," Leah replied. "What are you, a foreigner?"

I stepped back, shocked. What is this discrimination? I mean, I do remember Leah being a total tsundere in the anime, but….

"He's my boyfriend," Riko informed her, putting an arm around my shoulder.

"Wh-what?" Leah and Sarah cried in unison. "That's Darren?"

"Yeah! What's wrong?" Riko looked offended.

"Oh, nothing, he just seems different from when we saw you two on TV," Sarah replied. "I wasn't trying to be offensive or anything."

"Obviously, it's because they used photo editing on TV!" Leah blurted, laughing.

"Leah!" Sarah chided. Sarah bowed deeply towards me. "Forgive my sister's poor manners… I know she's a second year college student already, but she's still a child."

"Oh, it's not a problem, Sarah-senpai," I replied. Wow, they remind me of Dia and Ruby. Except Ruby wasn't so tsundere. Riko giggled. "Looks like you three will get along," she said. "Also, this is Akane, my friend. She's a big fan of school idols."

Akane was crazy with disbelief, and she began ranting towards Saint Snow about her obsession.

Leah laughed. "I don't think many people still know us, unlike you."

"Yeah, I guess I'm one of those old-school girls," Akane answered, trying to take a selfie with them.

Sarah hoisted her guitar.

"Your musical skills are as great as ever," Riko remarked.

"Aww, thanks! Yeah, I've been wanting to do something like join a band," Sarah said.

"Really?" Akane piped. "Riko and I joined the music club last year, but it wasn't really our style. Maybe we could play together sometime!"

"Wait, you play music, Akane-san?" I asked.

"Yup! I mean, I play the saxophone. Not really a pop instrument, but I like to play covers of pop music. Also, I think that it sounds pretty good in modern music. Adds a little flavor and swing, you know?" Akane mimicked the action of blowing her saxophone.

"Wow, that's really cool! Like honestly, I thought you were just one of those fangirls who didn't really know how to play music!" I said.

"Darren, don't be an egoist," Riko chided.

"Oh no, it's fine. Yeah, I know I give off that vibe," Akane admitted. "That's just the way I am I guess."

"I think that's cool," Sarah added. "Yeah, I would really like to play with somebody. I was walking with Leah yesterday, and we found an old, portable-style classroom on the edge of campus. There were old instruments and speakers in there. I thought maybe it was an old storage room or something. Maybe we should check it out!"

"Hold on, hold on," Riko interrupted. "I think we're getting ahead of ourselves, right? Maybe we should wait a little while, no?"

"No!" The rest of us replied in unison, grinning. A rising feeling ignited within me, an excitement that I had not felt in a long time. It was that feeling of childhood, like the night before a school trip, that restlessness which arises from ponderings about the uncertain future, sure to bring plenty of happy memories.

We followed the two sisters, their graceful strides leading us towards the wooded section of campus, where the asphalt transitioned into dirt. Snow-covered trees lined the path, smelling heavy and fresh. At the top of a small hill, an old, square-ish building sat, windows covered with dust. Leah opened the door, and we were hit by the musty scent that always dwells in sad old rooms.

Our group stepped in, and Sarah flipped on the lights. A gray couch was against the wall, and on the other side, a drum set, keyboard, mic stand, and speakers were laid about in disarray.

"Looks like it hasn't been used in a long time," Akane remarked.

"No sh*t," Leah said.

"Leah!" Sarah scolded.

"You really sure about this guys?" Riko said, standing at the door as we tried to dust the room. "I mean, what are we going to play? Do we even have permission to use this room? Do we have the time?"

"Come on, you're thinking too much, Riko," I said casually. "We're just a bunch of friends playing music. There's nothing wrong with that."

"Mmmmm…"

"Riko." I leaned in and whispered in her ear. "I know you have a lot of emotions surrounding playing the piano and music. I know it's sensitive to you. But I know that you should play. It'll help you change. You gotta face your fears." I told her this, not knowing myself if it would help or hurt her. But I just had a feeling that we needed to play again, just like before.

"I know what you mean, Darren, but… I don't know if I want to. I'll think about it." Riko looked troubled, but beautiful as ever.

"Hey, remember what you told me? The times when we played together, you felt like you could pour out your frustrations and sorrows? How we relied on music to get through our struggles? Without it, where would we be?" I took her outside to speak.

"I know. But coping with feelings won't bring Dad back. Music can't bring him back to life. What, I can play my whole life, but what will change? I can't do anything." Riko's eyes teared.

"Of course you can't do anything! It wasn't your fault he passed away. It just happened! But I know, playing music can help. Trust me, it's the greatest feeling in the world. I know you know that." I gripped her hands.

"I know! But losing family is the worst feeling in the world! And nothing can change that."

"You don't have to keep living like this. People all over the world lose loved ones. They all still have to keep living, right? They gotta keep going, right?"

"How do you know? Do you know? Japan has the highest suicide rate too!"

"What does that have to do with anything?" I replied, angry but amused. "It doesn't matter! Suicide rate is nothing. You are you! You're just saying random nonsense now!"

"Look, Darren, I'm in charge of my own life, okay? I make the choices."

"But I'm just trying to help you!"

"Help? Well, where were you for the past three years?"

"Where were you!? Weren't you the one who stopped contacting me, saying that we would never work out?"

"Whatever! Maybe what I did was right! Maybe we won't work out!" Riko shoved me to the snow.

"Are you guys okay?" Leah, Sarah, and Akane poked their heads out the door. I quickly scrambled to my feet.

"Oh, we're fine," I replied.

"Yeah, nothing's wrong," Riko said, taking deep breaths.

"Ah, I have class soon," I said. "See ya guys!" I checked my phone and began to walk down the path. "I can't be late!"

"Wait up, Darren-san!" Sarah called. "I have class too! Let me walk with you!"

"What about me?" Akane said, following.

"Stop it, Akane, you don't have class!" Riko said, grabbing Akane and pulling her down upon the couch, where they fought, laughing and whining. Sarah smiled and walked ahead. I followed.

"It was nice meeting you, Darren-san," Sarah said as we walked together down the old path. "I can see why Riko likes you."

"Aww, thanks… but to be honest, I can't see why. I mean, I'm awkward, shy, and sometimes a jerk."

"Really? You're not! You're funny and super nice. Don't take what others say to heart," Sarah comforted, patting my arm.

"Hahaha, you only just met me. A few months and you'll see," I replied.

Sarah smiled, shaking her head. Her ponytail bobbed as she did so, strands of hair falling across her pale cheek. She lightly brushed them out of her face and lips.

"Do you have a boyfriend, Sarah-senpai?" I asked, curious.

"Wh-what? Of course not! I'm only a fourth-year college student!" Sarah said, confused.

"Uhhhhh… you know…"

Sarah cut me off. "Yeah, I know, kids these days dating in middle school. It's kinda weird to me. I don't think people should date that early. Even high school is early, heck, even college!"

"Well…" I chuckled nervously. "I mean, a lot of people would disagree…"

"Yes I'm well aware of that. But it doesn't matter what they think; they can do whatever they want. However, I'm sticking to my own ideals and I hope my little sister will too." Sarah gripped her backpack straps tightly. We were back in the main campus area, where many students were hurrying to class.

"Wow. It's hard to find people like you these days," I said, unsure of what to think. "I mean, I was kinda like you, until I met Riko. But everyone has their time, right? I think that it's not really about the number, but about the maturity."

"Eww! That means… oh, Darren, don't be a creep!" Sarah frowned.

"No! I don't mean like… well, if they were under a certain age, they most likely are not mature enough. But yeah, AFTER a certain age."

"And what age is that?"

Riko came barreling between us.

"Darren! Darren!" She said to my face, out of breath, great puffs of steam coming out of her, beads of sweat on her forehead.

"Riko!? What's wrong?!" I said, surprised.

"Let's do it! I want to do it with you!" Riko shouted, grasping both of my hands in hers. EVERYBODY started staring at us. Sarah's mouth dropped in disbelief.

"Wait, what? Do what with me? What do you mean, Riko?" I whispered loudly.

"I-, I mean…" Riko gulped, hyperventilating but smiling broadly. "I want to do it with you, Darren! I'm ready to do it!" She laughed aloud, hopping up and down and tugging on my hands.

"What is this, the high school Riko?" I said.

"No, it's the middle school Riko!" she replied.

"UHHHHHH…" Sarah blurted.

"Yeah! The middle school Riko, before my father died, when I was the happiest girl in the world, when I wanted to play the piano, for the joy and the happiness and making others smile and, and become the best and play in front of thousands and practice with my friends and… remember Valentine's Day, when I told you, about how I was back then? How my friends and I searched for that pure feeling, the greatest feeling in the world, of playing music together? Yes! Not playing to cope with my struggles, as I did in high school, to block out the pain, but to play fully for the sake of playing! Together!" Riko leaned in closer, and her infectious smile spread onto my face. Her black locks fell over her right eye, and her sakura-scented shampoo was strong in the air.

"Riko…"

"Yes! I want to play music with you!"


End file.
